PEPFAR

This year Peace Corps was given a $25,000 PEPFAR grant to implement HIV prevention programs in Northern Peru. Tumbes, having the highest percentage of HIV cases in Peru, is one of the three departments taking part.

PC volunteers and community leaders came to Tumbes for a 2 1/2-day workshop on HIV and HIV prevention. Each PC volunteer formed a team from their communities consisting of a member of the health post staff, a representative from the municipality, a teacher from the local school and a health promoter or teen. The idea was that at the end of the workshop, each team formed a work plan for 2009 to implement in their districts.

With me came an OB from my health post, the energetic lieutenant mayor of the district, a quirky middle school teacher and a health promoter that's ALSO, coincidentally, a teen. Every one of them was excited to start with the project and active throughout the workshop.

The conference gave us some sobering statistics. The numbers in Tumbes, despite its small, mostly rural population, are increasing rapidly — reaching, for the first time last year, to endemic proportions (over 1% of the population). In some vulnerable groups, such as sex workers and MSMs, over 10% of its population has HIV.

What's perhaps more disturbing is the high level of youth affected. Over 50% of new cases every year are young people under the age of 25.

So, what do we do? Discussing different activities and methodologies was a big part of the conference and sparked the enthusiasm and vigor of a lot of the participants. A Uruguayan doctor came perhaps more to motivate than to educate our groups, with (in true Peace Corps fashion) interactive activities instead of dry Powerpoint.

The results were overwhelmingly positive. At the end of the conference, our Peruvian counterparts were ready with a long list of ideas of things to implement in their community.

In Pampas, our plan is to form a special committee specifically in charge of HIV prevention, consisting of at least two representatives from each of the base organizations (municipality, school, health post, etc.), two additional youth, and me representing Peace Corps.

Replicate workshops are planned for local authorities and leaders (including churches), parents and teachers. We'll do radio spots, marches, movie nights and propaganda campaigns, as well as youth dances, talent contests, murals and health fairs.

We're also going to see if it's possible to provide rapid AIDS testing for a large chunk of our population.

Of course, this is what we've planned on paper. The actual logistics of how it will all work out is dependent on the special committee. But Pampas is fertile ground. People are interested, service providers are enthusiastic, and the ganas to move forward is definitely there.

So, here we go.