Barbados Red Cross joins others for HIV/AIDS outreach on World AIDS Day

The Barbados Red Cross (BRC) Youth Commission, in collaboration with the Barbados Family Planning Association and Youth Advocacy Movement (YAM), joined forces on World AIDS Day to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS and Human Sexuality. The joint outreach was the only awareness campaign on the day.

Members of both groups converged on the heart of Bridgetown to distribute HIV/AIDS information and red ribbons to the public. The other location targeted was the Sheraton Centre, in the parish of Christ Church.

At Sheraton Centre, three campaign approaches were introduced to the public: the internationally recognised red ribbon campaign, the Faces campaign and the contraceptives methods campaign.

The ‘Faces’ campaign, done for the first time in Barbados, created some impact on those who signed the posters, as many shared how the virus affected their lives.

The contraceptives display attracted a great deal of interest, as persons were seeing some of the methods for the first time. Demonstrations were done with the femidom (the female condom), the condom, the diaphragm and other methods.

Red Cross Youth Link members were expected to disseminate information on HIV/AIDS prevention to their peers, and also distribute red ribbons.

Some members of the public have suggested to the BRC and YAM that they initiate an ongoing HIV/AIDS educational outreach to help raise national awareness.