Fact Sheet
HIV/AIDS Sites Visited by Mrs. Bush
Mrs. Bush visited two USAID-supported HIV/AIDS
prevention and care activities to see how the
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief has been
able to support HIV prevention, care and support
services and transform the lives of infected and
affected women and children in India.
Site 1: Nrityanjali Academy is a small
Indian NGO which uses folk theater as a tool to
raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and
modes of transmission. It receives funds from USAID
through its grant to Family Health International.
Mrs. Bush observed a dance and skit performance
demonstrating modes of transmission and prevention
strategies. The performances focused on abstinence
and being faithful. Some members of the dance troupe
narrated their own personal stories and shared how
they are trying to overcome the stigma and
discrimination they face everyday in their lives.
Site 2: Freedom Foundation is an Indian NGO
working on HIV/AIDS issues since 1995. USAID has
supported Freedom Foundation through Family Health
International since 2004 to provide prevention, care
and support services to the HIV infected/affected
children and their mothers in the slums of Hyderabad.
Presently they are catering to about 100 children
infected/affected by HIV/AIDS and nearly 100 HIV
positive mothers. Mrs. Bush observed a group of HIV
infected/affected children working with a counselor on
a life education activity to identify their family
support systems and a game to teach them about the
various modes of HIV/AIDS transmission. Mrs. Bush also
interacted with a group of HIV positive women to
discuss their personal stories and the kind of
discrimination faced by them in their communities.
These interactions showed the challenges faced by
women infected by HIV/AIDS and how U.S. Government
support is helping to transform their lives.
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