In 1991 the red-ribbon symbol was introduced as a way for people to promote awareness about HIV, to show their solidarity in caring about people who are infected with and affected by HIV and Aids, and to express their support for action against the epidemic.

Marie-Jeanne, a photographer with FFP, expressed what many people feel: "I want to live. I want to work. When we are given a chance we can achieve things. It's all a matter of will. If we want to do it, we will. However, it's very difficult in this country. We don't have many opportunities to expand our horizons."

Dr Rachel Baggaley

Head of Christian Aid's HIV Unit

Honorary research fellow at the London School

of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

For more information on memory work and related resources see

www.ifrc.org

www.plan-international.org

http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/cssr/asru.html

For more information about Christian Aid and its work with HIV/Aids, see www.christianaid.org.uk or telephone +44 20 7523 2172.

PLAN

PLAN has several projects in progress all round the world to assist and support children affected by the HIV/Aids epidemic. Uganda is the African country which has best succeeded in turning the epidemic around, but despite this, the country still has a large number of orphans. In Uganda, PLAN is working to provide vocational training for young people who have been forced to leave school when their parents died. Single mothers with HIV/Aids are provided with nursing care and help in finding new ways of earning a living. PLAN was instrumental in initiating the Memory Books project, which is aimed at helping parents with Aids to prepare their children for the fact that they may soon be orphaned. The books help parents to express their feelings, thoughts, experiences and hopes for their children's futures.

Burkina Faso

Association Solidarité et Entraide Mutuelle au Sahel (SEMUS)

SEMUS works in a region where few other organisations address HIV/Aids. It provides a range of integrated development activities including income generation; food security; education; health care through provision of drugs at low prices from its pharmacy, and provision of drugs and medical equipment to a local health centre.

Burma (Burma/Thai border)

EMPOWER (Education Means Protection of Women Engaged in Recreation)

Established in 1984, EMPOWER aims to provide migrant sex-workers with access to education and information in order that they are better informed and better able to protect themselves from abuse and health risks, including HIV.

Activities include typing and computer classes, counselling, health and safer-sex workshops, distribution of condoms.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Fondation Femme Plus (FFP)

FFP is an association of women living with HIV/Aids. It specialises in psychological, social and medical support to more than 2000 women in the DRC, including counselling, medical treatment, support for small businesses and practical support such as food and help so that children can attend school. "When my husband died, I didn't want to be open with anyone. I felt as though I had died with him. But thanks to FFP, I feel like I am a worthwhile person, and I can go on living," Mama Dedy, mother of two, told Christian Aid.

India

Arogya Agam

Arogya Agam, based in Tamil Nadhu in south-east India, is related to the Women's Development Programme, promoting women's empowerment socially, economically and politically, and increased understanding of and access to health, with a strong focus on an HIV/Aids programme.

It gives support and training to village health guides and community health committees to lobby for and monitor government health services and demand community rights to access health services. It also refers patients with sexually transmitted infections for health care and provides counselling. Arogya Agam mobilises villages to distribute condoms and raises awareness of HIV/Aids, particularly among young people.

Jamaica

Jamaica Aids Support

Founded in 1991, JAS has 30 staff and 150 volunteers in three main offices. JAS provides services for over 10,000 clients, including a "friends" network offering practical and emotional support to people living with or affected by HIV. After training, volunteers are assigned to a client/family member or care-giver. It also organises educational outreach, care programmes and promotes human rights for people living with HIV in a climate of stigma. Its "living quilt", to which artists contribute each year, includes the names of people with whom it has worked.

For more information, see www.jamaicaaidssupport.com

Kenya

BIDII

Bidii is the Swahili word for "effort". BIDII is a Christian-inspired NGO that provides community development services in two districts of Ukambani. It combines training in sustainable agriculture and improved farming methods and protection of water sources with a programme of primary health care and HIV/Aids awareness in communities along the main Nairobi-to-Mombasa highway.

Zambia

Archdiocese of Lusaka, community home-based care programme

A network of 52 home-based care projects in and around Lusaka, supported by more than 1700 community volunteers who provide patients with nursing and medical care, counselling and pastoral support. Some projects support surviving families and orphans with material assistance or capital for small-business start-ups.

Copperbelt Health Education Project (CHEP)

Established in 1988 to address the deteriorating health standards in Zambia 's second city, Kitwe, in the Copperbelt. CHEP aims to change people's behaviour through the education of children, youth and adults. It helps people infected with and affected by HIV. Last year it opened a training centre to teach community organisations how to tackle HIV.

Kara Counselling and Training Trust (KCTT) and the Positive and Living Squad (PALS)

Kara was the first HIV service organisation in Zambia. It provides a wide range of services for people living with HIV and voluntary counselling and testing. The PALS are advocates for people living with HIV and have developed a programme of HIV education for workplaces and schools.

This Memory Book

is for

…

and has been written by

…

– Information About Your Mother -

Family Name…

First Names…

Nicknames…

Date of Birth…

Place of Birth…

Your Mother's Story

(in brief, more details are included in the following pages)

– Our Family Home -

– Important Friends -

– Special Memories -

Information

– About Your Relatives -

Family Traditions

– And Special Events -

– Special To Me -

Thoughts On Life

– And Things I Believe In -

– My Likes & Dislikes -

– Special Interests/Talents -

– What I Do In My Free Time -

– My Health -

– My Working Life -

– My Education -

About My Childhood And

– Where I Grew Up -

– Information About Your Father -

– People Who Are Special To You -