T &T Red Cross receives US$ donationfor HIV and AIDS

The Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society (TTRCS) has received one of its largest ever donations to continue its work in HIV and AIDS.

Before volunteers, staff, invited guests and media, REPSOL YPF presented the TTRCS with a US$209,370 (TT$1.3 million) cheque on November 20 at TTRCS headquarters.

The substantial donation, which will fund the work of the Red Cross’ Health department for the next three years, is a significant boost as it will ensure that communities in Trinidad and Tobago are better served in the fight HIV and AIDS.

“The partnership will seriously support the operational element of the programming and thereby ensuring that TT Red Cross approach the task with professionalism and due capacity”, TTRCS Head of Health department, Ms Margarita Elliot said. “REPSOL YPF has once again taken their social responsibility seriously by putting their money where their mouth is. A number of corporate bodies can take suit”.

The funding is a continuance of the HIV and AIDS programme, which REPSOL YPF has been supporting since 2003. Education of young people as peer educators in the Together We Can programme, establishing an HIV and AIDS office, and several social awareness campaigns all came about thanks to the funding by REPSOL YPF.

“REPSOL YPF, in collaboration with the Red Cross, has contributed to alleviate the lack of resources in Trinidad and Tobago through a programme to raise awareness among the inhabitants, and provide education on the prevention of HIV/AIDS, in an effort to bring this disease out into the open and create an active commitment to its control and treatment,” REPSOL YPF said in a statement.

The donation from REPSOL YPF comes by way of cooperation between Spanish Red Cross and REPSOL YPF Madrid.