THE JAMAICA AIDS Support (JAS) started out as a journey of love, care and respect for a total stranger.
A group of young men, none of them over 25 years old, took it upon themselves to give a helping hand to another young man who was HIV-infected. With the death of the young man, Jamaica AIDS Support was born and in June 1992, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), JAS officially started operating as a non-governmental organisation offering care to persons infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
The organisation has two major roles: education and prevention and care and support of persons infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.
The education and prevention programmes are geared at raising awareness about the disease and at influencing positive behaviour change. They target the general public through community walk and talks, three radio programmes and one television programme, and one weekly newspaper
column. Through its targeted interventions programme, JAS also works with groups considered high risk for contracting HIV. These include sex workers,
prisoners, sexual minorities,
persons with disabilities and inner-city youth.
WHOLESOME SUPPORT
Under its care and support programme, JAS offers help to those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS through counselling, facilitated support groups, a friends volunteer programme and peer support. Life's Work, an income-generating work therapy programme for HIV-positive people, produces a wide range of handmade quality candles, soaps and cards.
In addition, through its home-based care programme, scores of families of persons infected have benefited not only from the
medication offered, but also the food and emotional support JAS volunteers give.
FREE COUNSELLING AND TESTING
JAS, in conjunction with the government's surveillance programme, provides free voluntary counselling and testing to the general public. Orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS also benefit under the care and support programme. On a yearly basis, JAS raises funds to purchase Christmas gifts for this group across the island.
One of the greatest challenges faced by JAS over the years is that of funding. On two occasions, the organisation almost closed down due to lack of funds.
"We know that there are resources out there and not being able to put your hands on it is very disheartening," Ian McKnight, co-founder of the organisation, said.
In addition, McKnight noted that the organisation's work among the infected has been compromised by the lack of
consistent support at the highest levels of leadership.
"Legislation continues to impede work. Cultural practices, women who continue to be marginalised, prisoners, men who have sex with men and sex workers continue to be ignored," he said. "One of the greatest tragedies in all this is that middle and upper class Jamaicans have totally (excluded) themselves from the HIV/AIDS situation and for any organisation, this can be frustrating."
JAS today boasts three offices St. James, St. Ann and Kingston and has more than 100 volunteers. A significant number of the persons employed in the organisation are HIV-positive, with many working in the income-generating industries of card, candle and soap-making.
