Richard Gere Visits USAID  HIV / AIDS "Operation Lighthouse" Project In Mumbai

Photo: Courtesy Population Services International, December 2003.

Hollywood actor Richard Gere walks through Kamathipura, the crowded red light district in the heart of Mumbai city. He is seen here with Dianne Cross, a program manager for the USAID-supported Population Services International (PSI). Gere was visiting a USAID-supported HIV/AIDS clinic that cares for the local population.

USAID targets vulnerable groups with life-saving HIV/AIDS education
India has over 4 million cases of HIV/AIDS, second only to South Africa . Hollywood actor Richard Gere, on a mission to raise HIV/AIDS awareness in the country, visited a USAID-supported counseling, testing and referral center in Kamathipura. Kamathipura is a red light district in the heart of Mumbai, one of India 's largest cities and home to about 6,000 sex workers. USAID has provided a grant to Population Services International (PSI) to 1) educate sex workers about HIV/AIDS to protect them from the virus and 2) disseminate prevention messages to their clientele, which include port workers, truckers and businessmen.

Operation Lighthouse supports ten voluntary counseling and testing centers, two telephone help lines, referral services and mass media campaigns. The campaigns are designed to provide accurate information about HIV transmission and prevention. 

Mumbai is an AIDS 'hotspot.' Vulnerable people in the city, such as migrants, truckers, sex workers and port workers, have lifestyles and work environments that put them at risk for the virus. On the fringes of society, these vulnerable groups face problems getting services from the public health system. USAID has three projects in Mumbai.  These activities help high risk groups prevent infections and, if they are sexually active, encourage them to adopt safe practices.  Additionally, the interventions include the provision of condoms at 8,000 outlets in the area.  Finally, care and support services are  available to all vulnerable groups, including children affected by HIV/AIDS. The projects are part of a seven-year, $41.5 million bilateral project, AVERT; a five-year, $17 million project implemented by Family Health International,  IMPACT; and Operation Lighthouse, which targets twelve major port cities in India.