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| ORGANISATION: | INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION (IPPF) |
| AREA: | RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL |
| GRANT PERIOD: | 2004-2007 |
| BENEFICIARIES: | 35,600 PEOPLE PER YEAR |
The International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF) works to enable women and men throughout the world, of any age and ethnic origin, to benefit from sexual and reproductive health. IPPF places a strong emphasis on HIV/AIDS prevention activities and providing psycho-social and medical support for people living with HIV/AIDS.
The favelas or shanty towns of Brazil's major cities, like Rio de Janeiro, house some of the most vulnerable and impoverished of its population. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in these areas feel particularly marginalised and excluded from mainstream HIV/AIDS prevention initiatives and services.
EJAF has funded BEMFAM, IPPF's Member Association in Brazil, to develop a model of peer led HIV/AIDS information and prevention activities targeted at young LGBT people in Rio's favelas. This includes facilitating referrals to the wider HIV services network, undertaking outreach and counselling and educating the public on the needs of LGBT youth.
We also supported the initiation of a National HIV/AIDS and Sexual Diversity campaign entitled "Your Life is Worth Gold" which brought HIV/STI prevention and sexual and reproductive rights messages to a broader audience through media outreach, in magazines and radio, as well as by posting advertisements at public spaces - like the poster pictured here, which translated in full reads:
"Be a real champion. Your life is worth gold. Use a condom."
Some of EJAF's most effective grants involve the integration of new programming elements into well-established service networks. This allows us to integrate new services through existing (and experienced) channels, thereby ensuring future sustainability through their incorporation in well-developed systems. This BEMFAM programme in Brazil is a great example of this approach.