As HIV/ AIDS is no longer a public health issue but has become a seriously socio-economic and developmental concern, there is an immediate need to act with an utmost sense of urgency and seriousness.

Therefore, as a part of our HIV/AIDS awareness initiative, we recently opened the Behavioural Change Communication park in District Guna, M.P. . A one of a kind initiative in District Guna, which was inaugurated by Mr. Narendra Kumar (DM, GAIL (India) Ltd.) on the 23rd of February, 2011. The location selected was within the premises of GAIL (India) Ltd. itself near the LPG/CNG station which is a halt point for the truckers passing the Agra-Bombay Highway.

HIV/AIDS being a sensitive issue in itself, therefore talking to people about it especially truckers who fall in the high risk category, is a big challenge in itself. Therefore after several discussions, it was decided that the same message will be circulated, but in a more friendly manner. Unlike the usual way of calling truckers to sit for meetings & addressing them with issues like safe sex etc. This new park will be a place where they could be entertained by showing movies, involving them in interactive sessions & having games like carrom board & cards arranged for them, which will in turn make the entire environment much lighter & help them open up & understand what we want to communicate to them, in a much better manner.

As a part of our HIV/AIDS awareness initiative, our team in Madhya Pradesh participated in the Red Ribbon Express Event that was held in the month of September, 2010.

It was an initiative that was in partnership with the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), Government of India which ran across the lines of the Mobile AIDS Counseling Service project.

The Red Ribbon Express is a nationwide communication campaign which aims to contribute to the national goal of reducing the rate of new HIV infections to zero which is currently a whopping 20012. A plan where they aimed to conduct this by generating awareness of HIV/AIDS in more than 15,000 gram panchayats in the rural parts of the country. Red Ribbon Express is a train with five coaches, containing the following facilities: an auditorium/training centre, counseling center , testing center, care and support unit, an exhibition, resource centre and accommodation for the staff and 60 performing artists.

The Red Ribbon Express starts its journey from Kanyakumari and after halting at 180 stations covering almost every state of India, in the parikrama style, it would retur back to Kanyakumari. During every halt at each station the performing artists were divided into different groups.

Each group consisted of an orator and a set of performers who would go to different villages to undertake the Information Education Communication (IEC) activities such as street plays, folk songs, stories and group counseling sessions. Locally mobilized youth groups also joined the team from the trains.

The train reached the Shivpuri station in Madhya Pradesh on the 18th of September,2010 & was there till the 19th. On the first day, our whole team visited the Red Ribbon Express and learnt about the new innovative model developed by the Government for spreading awareness about HIV/AIDS. We also participated in one of the HIV games and collected some of new IEC and Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) material developed by NACO.

The GIDF theatre group had also participated in the 2 day event where they gave street performances on HIV/AIDS. 1100 people stood witness to their performance which included 120 ASHA workers and local government officials. Our efforts were much appreciated by the audience as well as the officials from UNICEF.

We also conducted the play in six other locations including bus stands, parking lot outside the railway station, to make sure that we spread the message on HIV/AIDS and in turn convince people to participate in the Red Ribbon Express Mission.