The Ride Against AIDS 2012 team kicked off their cross-country biking adventure this morning at Ocean Beach in San Francisco! These 19 intrepid riders will journey over 4,000 miles to Boston, raising funds and awareness for the fight against HIV/AIDS. Together, they have already raised $64,000! Check out the photos below from this morning’s launch and look out for posts from the riders throughout the summer!

I’ve just returned from a truly moving meeting of a virtually self-assembled Zulu youth group. The group consists of about 40 kids in total, all of whom are relatively recently out of school but are unemployed, either are unaware of further educational opportunities or lack the resources and support to apply, and are in desperate need of guidance. What’s most encouraging about the group, however, is their constant aura of motivation, optimism and ambition in the face of the all too common life path for youth here of unemployment, alcohol, violence and HIV/AIDS.

It is because of groups like this and other students and young adults facing similar challenges that I returned to Tugela Ferry, a small and impoverished rural town deep in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Over the last week since I arrived, I have been meeting with this group of young adults, as well as students at several schools in the area, to begin my FACE AIDS Summer Fellowship in Health Innovation project. With the support of my Community Partner Organization, Philanjalo, the project was designed to work with several groups in the town on peer HIV/AIDS education, though it is becoming increasingly clear that this must be combined with other components of health education, such as nutritional education and substance abuse education, as well as career guidance and support for further educational attainment in order to comprehensively address the underlying factors which lead to HIV infection. Together, these will hopefully provide the jolt necessary for these wonderful, inspiring kids to break free from the cycles of poverty, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other undeserved afflictions, and also — equally if not more importantly — to teach others how to do the same.

This summer, six riders from around the country will bike 4,000 miles in the 2011 Ride Against AIDS: Meet Lili, Michael, Vadim, Katie, Laura, and Tim!

They can’t wait to meet you, your couch, your grandparents’ floor, or your friend’s former bunk bed…

The Ride Against AIDS is organized by FACE AIDS – a nonprofit organization that fights AIDS by building a global movement of youth dedicated to social justice and global health equity. The 2010 Ride Against AIDS raised over $50,000 for PIH programs in Rwanda.

Help out this year’s riders by offering a place to stay along the route, and forwarding this message to friends and family who are spending their s ummer in the following places. Your help is also welcome in setting up speaking engagements in any of these locations (See the full Ride timetable here):

JUNE – California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado

CA – Fairfield, Folsom, South Lake Tahoe

NV – Carson City, Fallon, Austin, Eureka, Ely, Baker

UT – Delta, Manti, Little Cedar Mountain, Thompson Springs

CO – Palisade

JULY – Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania

CO – Vail, Bailey, Wiggins, Sterling

NE – Ogallala, North Platte, Lexington, Grand Island, Lincoln, Council Bluffs

IA – Casey, Newton, Iowa City, Davenport

IL – Peru, Batavia

IN – South Bend

OH – Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Youngstown

PA – Pittsburgh

AUG – Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut

PA – Connellsville

MD – Cumberland, Williamsport

DE – Wilmington

PA – Philadelphia

NJ – Princeton

NY – New York City

CT – Old Lyme

Requirements – Hosts are only required to provide a place for 6 people to sleep (includes couches and floor space). In addition, any of the following is greatly appreciated: 2 meals (dinner and breakfast), shower access, and washing machine access.

For housing offers, speaking event suggestions, and other questions, cont act Ride Against AIDS coordinator Austin Keeley (Austin@faceaids.org).

To learn more about FACE AIDS, the Ride Against AIDS, and how to support the riders, please visit: www.faceaids.org/rideagainstaids.html

A few weeks ago, Bosco and I visited one of our youth chapters, nestled in the lush hills North of Lake Muhazi. Lately, our chapter visits have focused on identifying topics related to HIV and sexual health that young people are most interested in learning more about. These topics, along with peer education essentials, will be compiled into an educational HIV/AIDS curriculum that all of our chapters will be able to reference at any time, rather than waiting on FACE AIDS staff to visit them while holding onto pressing questions. We walked into a room full of vibrant singing and clapping. The welcome songs that I get to hear every week are one of the best perks of our work (minus the occasional bicycle taxi rides me and the other staff take turns giving each other, as evidenced by the scrapes on my heels).

Despite this unabashed performance, the group grew strangely quiet when I asked them to help by chipping in questions or topic ideas that could help us develop a curriculum most tailored to their needs. No matter how I rephrased my query, they were reluctant to raise their hands. I began ripping papers out of my spiral-bound notebook, taking piles of 5 sheets in my hands and ripping them into pieces the size of my palm. I reached blindly into the cave of my backpack and fished out every pen I could find. Anonymous question time. Bosco and I circled around the room, encouraging people to write down anything that came to mind, anything, no matter how embarrassing or silly, and playfully thwacking people over the head for peeking. One after another, 4 out of the 5 pieces of paper I collected read as versions of the same questions. Why does circumcision lower risk of HIV infection? Is it worth having done? How much would it lower the risk?

The Rwandan Government has been taking a focused approach to HIV prevention and treatment. Thanks to this attitude and an influx of aid, Rwanda has reduced its HIV prevalence to about 3%. Two NIH studies in Uganda and Kenya, preceded by a 2005 study in South Africa, have suggested that risk of HIV infection can be reduced by up to 60% in males who have been circumcised. As a result, one of the objectives of the National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS is to improve men and boys’ access to circumcision. Even more ambitious, they aim to have 2 million men circumcised by June 2012. With these intentions announced nationally and splashed across the front page of The New Times, a lot of young men (and women) have been increasingly forthcoming about questioning the details of this massive push for circumcision. In Rwanda, the campaign is targeting military men, university students, police, and infants. Though most of our chapter members fall outside of these categories, there has been enough publicity for the initiative to stir up some significant buzz.

As one of the most Catholic countries in Africa, only a small percentage of men here have been circumcised. Until recently, the practice was almost completely confined to Muslim communities. Many of the conversations we’ve had lately have been about preservation of religious tradition in the face of a contemporary epidemic. Young people are also curious to understand the biology behind reduced risk after circumcision.

First, the inside of the foreskin has a high concentration of Langerhans cells, which act as target cells for infection, binding to the HIV virus and presenting it to CD4 cells in the body. The delicate foreskin is also much more prone to microscopic tears and abrasions, which increase points of entry for infection. Uncircumcised men statistically experience higher rates of ulcerative sexually transmitted infections like syphilis, which increase the chance of infection with HIV through open sores. It has also been argued that the space between the foreskin and the penis provides an environment conducive for virus survival. These factors, combined with convincing epidemiological data, has led to circumcision campaigns in countries other than Rwanda, including Tanzania, Swaziland and Zambia.

While communicating the benefits of circumcision is vital to convincing men to opt for the procedure, careful education and counseling must accompany all campaigns to reduce the chances of risk compensation (for instance, driving faster when wearing a seatbelt, or doing riskier bike tricks while using a helmet). All men who go to be circumcised should do so with the understanding that it only reduces risk of infection, and shouldn’t be viewed as protective against HIV. Barrier methods should still be used for every sexual encounter, and men shouldn’t feel that they can engage in riskier sexual behavior just because their risk of infection has been reduced.

In all this talk of circumcision and prevention techniques for men, one girl stood up and asked, “What can women do to reduce their risk in a similar way? Is there a procedure for women that could help to lower our risk?” Unfortunately, there isn’t yet an equivalent, and discoveries like these, though exciting, continue to remind us that so many of the prevention strategies we advocate for put choices overwhelmingly in the hands of men. Male condoms and male circumcision, now huge pillars in prevention, leave little decision-making power in the hands of women. Even female condoms, which are gaining popularity here, are still extremely expensive and difficult to find. Against previous recommendations, the WHO eventually released guidelines for female condom reuse, in an effort to recognize the realities of conditions for female condom use in resource-poor settings. Many are resting their hopes on microbicide development, which received a fresh breath of life last year from the Tenofivir Microbicide Gel trial in South Africa.

Our youth chapters will continue to inform their prevention efforts with up-to-date information, and 3 chapters will soon be launching Practical Empowerment projects with the goal of providing a combination of sexual health education and circumcision sensitization in secondary schools of Rwanda’s Eastern Province. They are wholeheartedly eager to help the government reach its goal for June 2012 through peer advocacy and counseling, and it speaks volumes of their commitment to help their communities move towards a complete vision of health.

With love from Rwanda,

Cher-Wen

This fall, FACE AIDS launched a new opportunity for students to spend the summer working on the front lines of global health equity: the Summer Fellowship in Health Innovation. The Summer Fellowship offers a $2,500 grant and mentorship from FACE AIDS Expert Panelists and Global Health Corps fellows, and supports students to design and implement full-time summer projects that address HIV/AIDS and other pressing global health issues, either domestically or abroad. Projects are carried out in collaboration with a community partner of the fellow’s choice.

The range of applications that we were received were impressive, thoughtful, and inspiring, and picking our inaugural fellow was a challenging decision. That said, we are thrilled to announce that David Carel is the first recipient of the FACE AIDS Summer Fellowship in Health Innovation. Congratulations, David!

David is currently a student at Yale College, pursuing degrees in economics and African students. After spending time in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, David developed a keen interest in HIV/AIDS and TB in rural Southern Africa. He plans to return this summer to design and introduce a youth empowerment initiative in rural Zulu communities with a focus on HIV prevention education. At Yale, David is very involved in global health advocacy and activism; serves as president of UAID, an organization which promotes student awareness, education, and volunteer opportunities surrounding infectious diseases; teaches health education in New Haven public schools; and drums in Yale’s West-African Dance Troupe. In his spare time he enjoys playing guitar and piano, running, and golf. David is originally from Philadelphia.

David will be blogging from South Africa about his Summer Fellowship experience, so check back in late May to keep up to date with his work.

Read more about the Summer Fellowship in Health Innovation at http://faceaids.org/summerfellowship.html.

Dave Evans, FACE AIDS’ Programming Director and a senior at Stanford University, got tested for HIV as part of the Be in The Know campaign. Click on the photo to watch his story:

You can also access the video through our YouTube Channel, faceaidsmovies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54kF-QF_SG4

This fall, FACE AIDS embarked upon a new vision for our programs in Rwanda. After three years of providing employment to make beaded AIDS pins, access to savings and credit, and business training, and after two years of engaging HIV-affected youth in community-based prevention education activities, we recognized our unique opportunity to unite leadership development with economic empowerment. From this, we created what we call the Practical Empowerment Model.

We currently work with 33 chapters of 1,000 young people in rural eastern Rwanda. Earlier this summer, we asked our chapters to design six-month-long community health projects that address a major cause or consequence of HIV/AIDS. Our Rwanda staff recently selected the 10 best proposals, and we have awarded small grants to the 10 chapters to bring their ideas to life. These projects focus on malnutrition, circumcision, maternal and child health, street youth and drug use, and pediatric malaria. FACE AIDS is providing each chapter with training and support throughout the process, including on budgeting, management, procurement, and monitoring and evaluation. Through these projects, we are strengthening the leadership capacity of young Rwandans to tackle the pressing health and development challenges facing their communities.

In addition to the grant for the project, each member of the selected chapters gets a small amount of money to start a revolving savings and credit fund. FACE AIDS helps each chapter open a bank account and decide how the members will invest their funds, how much they will put into savings, and when they’ll repay any loans back to the group. By connecting our chapter members to income, credit, and a safe and reliable way to save, we are providing them with a foundation for long-term financial stability.

It’s our pleasure to announce the 10 chapters that received grants from FACE AIDS in the first year of the Practical Empowerment model! If you’d like more information or if you’re interested in funding a chapter’s project, please contact me at julie@faceaids.org.

Youth Community: Kwisiramuza (Circumcision)

Kayonza District: Circumcision, HIV/AIDS Prevention

As a part of Rwanda’s National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS Reduction, Youth Community has chosen to focus their project on increasing adolescent boys’ access to circumcision. Working with Groupe Scolaire Kadilidimba, they will work intensively with 60 boys in classes Senior 1B and Senior 2A&C to educate them on the benefits of circumcision and address traditional perceptions of the practice. Their workshops will focus on sexual and reproductive health, hygiene, and HIV/AIDS. The chapter will work closely with Rwinkwavu hospital to promote participants’ use of the health centre’s circumcision services. If possible, they hope to negotiate a reduced price for participating boys, of whom they hope 95% will elect to undergo the procedure. G.S. Kadilidimba and Rwinkwavu hospital have already been consulted and have both agreed to collaborate with and support Youth Community for the duration of their program.

Intore Nyamibwa: Kitchen Gardens

Kayonza District: Malnutrition, PLWHA Support

Intore Nyamibwa designed their project to address the needs of vulnerable families in Kabeza Village affected by HIV/AIDS. Malnutrition is chronically detrimental to the health of these families, as many do not know how to eat a balanced diet even if its components are available. Children and people living with HIV are particularly vulnerable to the effects of a bad diet. 10 of the most vulnerable HIV-affected families will be trained in nutrition and hygienic food preparation, given in-home cooking lessons, and supported by the chapter to cultivate a kitchen garden. Each household will be visited thrice a month to monitor the state of their gardens and ensure that they are using techniques learned in their training to eat a nutritious diet. They aim, at the end of the project, through education and with peer mentorship from the families participating in the 6 month project, for 97% of Kabeza village to acquire information on proper nutrition and HIV/AIDS. The chapter will also keep a nursery garden for vegetable seeds. They have the support of Ruhimba Primary School, which has committed to give the chapter a small pot of land for their seed nursery and model garden. The members of Intore Nyamibwa are currently collaborating with their local authorities and community health workers.

Turwane Kubuzima Bwacu: Kurwanya Imirire Mibi (Fighting Malnutrition)

Kayonza District: Malnutrition

Turwane Kubuzima Bwacu developed their project due to visible problems of child malnutrition in Gasarabwayi. They have identified 14 families whose children show signs of malnutrition, such as kwashiorkor. The chapter will draw on their experience in farming to cultivate a model kitchen garden and train each of the selected families to have their own. Each family will be trained in nutrition and food preparation, including cooking lessons in their own homes. Each member of the chapter will have an assigned family to work with for the duration of the project. After 4 months, the chapter aims to see visible improvement in the children of all target families. Chapter members will follow up frequently will all participants to monitor garden progress and ensure that they are using techniques learned in their training to eat a nutritious diet.

New Life Without SIDA: Tugabanye Umuruduko W’ubwandu Bushya Twisiramuza (Reduction of HIV Infection by Circumcision)

Kirehe District: Circumcision, HIV Prevention

As a part of Rwanda’s National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS Reduction, New Life Without SIDA has chosen to focus their project on increasing adolescent boys’ access to circumcision. After talking with over 100 boys at Groupe Scolaire du Gatore, the chapter identified 54 males in Primary 6 and Secondary 1 who want to undergo circumcision but do not have the support or resources to do so. In Gatore, young people are particularly vulnerable to engaging in sex work in exchange for school scholarship. New Life Without SIDA believes that circumcision, along with comprehensive sexual health education, can reduce risk of infection for these young men. GS Gatore administrators have approved the project and will provide time and space for trainings. All participants will be counseled and accompanied by members of New Life Without SIDA throughout the process of education, procedure, and recovery. Participants in the project will, in turn, be able to provide peer mentorship on sexual health.

Turwanye SIDA: Turwanye Imirire Mibi Mubana (Fighting Malnutrition in Children)

Kirehe District: Malnutrition

After observing the prevalence of malnutrition in children under 5 in Cyabihama village, Turwanye SIDA developed their project to create a sustainable way for families to improve their nutrition and reduce the incidence of malnutrition-related diseases. Working with the Gashongora health centre, their chapter will work with selected families whose children under 5 have shown signs of malnutrition. Families will be trained in nutrition, hygienic food preparation, and learn the importance of cleaning water to avoid diarrheal disease. With a demonstration garden, they hope to contribute to the nutritional knowledge of the rest of the community. Regular home visits will be made with families to give cooking lessons and ensure that family members are using the information they gained during training. Turwanye SIDA will carry out this project with the help of nurses from Gashongora health centre, donated space for a demonstration kitchen and training rooms.

Abatoni Ku Ruhimbi: Kurwanya Ibiyobyabwenge Murubyiruko: Gutwara abantu n’ibintu kumagare (Fighting Against Drugs: Bicycle Transport)

Kayonza District: Drug Use, Vulnerable Youth, HIV Prevention

As a chapter near the busy roadside town of Kabarondo, members of Abatoni Ruhimbi have had growing concern over the number of impoverished youth in their community who have turned to drug use and sex work, putting them at high risk for HIV infection. The chapter is now working with 4 young men between 17 and 25 who have had little to no support. The group hopes to rehabilitate these youth by providing them opportunity for employment, counseling them on drug use and HIV/AIDS, and helping them to start a savings group and open a bank account. Abatoni Ku Ruhimbi has already approached the Kabarondo bicycle taxi drivers association, who agreed to accept these 4 youth into their association and welcome them to their profession. In line with the NSP objective for at-risk populations to have comprehensive prevention and support programs, the chapter hopes that through support and counseling they will be able to prevent these youth from engaging in high risk behaviors. The chapter will be working with the support of their local government.

Cool Family (Aspenya School): Gusiramurwa (Circumcision)

Kirehe District: Circumcision, HIV Prevention

As a FACE AIDS chapter made up of students in Aspenya School, members of Cool Family have developed a peer education program with a focus on the NSP objective to increase adolescent access to circumcision. As lack of circumcision is a problem that augments the incidence of sexual transmission of HIV, they proposes a 6 month education program to sensitize boys between 18 and 25 at Aspenya on the benefits of circumcision. 20 boys will be sponsored to go for the procedure. They plan to collaborate with the Nyarubuye Health Centre and have the sponsorship of their school’s administrators.

Tuseme: Tubozene Imirire Tunywa Amazi Meza (Let’s Eat Well and Drink Pure Water)

Kirehe District: Malnutrition

While working in their community, Tuseme recognized malnutrition to be a significant problem in their community after identifying 30 families whose members suffer from malnutrition and diarrheal disease. These families will be trained in nutrition, hygienic food preparation, and learn the importance of cleaning water to avoid diarrheal disease. To encourage good hygiene in the community, they plan on building hand washing stations. Regular home visits will be made with families to give cooking lessons and ensure that family members are using the information they gained during training. Turseme will carry out this project with the help of local authorities and teachers.

Sharp IT Intawarane

Kirehe District: Pediatric Malaria

In Nyawera, malaria is a significant problem, particularly because the village is close to Akagera forest. For their project, Sharp IT plans to reduce the incidence of malaria in children under 5 in 73 families. Child deaths from malaria result from a lack of knowledge on malaria symptoms, and the inability of many families to pay for treatment fees at health centres. For their project, Sharp IT will train families on proper use of mosquito nets, removal of bushes and brush around their houses where mosquitos live, and buy mutuelle for their children. They will also learn about other diseases that are transmitted by mosquito bites. Sharp IT will carry out this project with the support of their sector social workers and Nyawerea Primary School.

Ihorere: Kugabanya Impfu Z’ababyeyi Bapfa Babyara n’abana Bapfa Bavuka (Reducing Maternal and Infant Death During Childbirth)

Kirehe District: Maternal and Infant Health

As a FACE AIDS chapter, Ihorere has worked closely with a social worker in their sector to support vulnerable and pregnant youth. From their experiences with young mothers, they designed a project to increase pregnant women’s uptake of health centre services. Observing that women who do not go to the hospital to give birth and do not go to their health centre for prenatal checkups are more likely to die from complications of childbirth. Their project aims to improve outcome of pregnancy for 15 vulnerable pregnant women between the ages of 17-28. During their project, all of the women will be signed up for Mutuelle de Sante health insurance and given training on maternal health and family planning. They then plan to give each woman a goat to raise as a means of long-term income generation. Ihorere has the support of sector health workers and local authorities and is being given space for meetings and trainings by Rusumo parish.

By Austin Keeley, Ride Against AIDS 2009 Alum and Ride Against AIDS 2011 Director

In the summer of 2009 my friend Dave Evans and I embarked on the 2^nd annual Ride Against AIDS. We weren’t really sure what we were getting ourselves into, but we were eager to find out. It’s been almost a year and a half since Dave and I first shoved off from Palo Alto, CA on our cross-country journey, but it feels like just yesterday, and I can scarcely believe FACE AIDS is preparing for the 4^th annual Ride Against AIDS this summer! Rider recruitment has begun (applications are available here), and I’m frequently asked, “What is the Ride actually like?” I hope this blog post gives potential riders and supporters a glimpse into the adventures of life on the road.

When I begin to think about the Ride Against AIDS, it is always the roads that come back to me first. One moment I’ll be sitting in class listening to a professor lecture on one topic or another, the next I’m in Kentucky perched on a grassy hill looking over the border into Virginia. I won’t have thought of this particular road in six months, but instantly it’s as if I’m back there. I can sense the rising sun, I can smell the morning dew on the tall blades of grass, and I can anticipate all the adventures that a new state will bring. Not a day goes by without a recollection of this sort.

I think I remember the roads so well because of all the remarkable people to which they led me. I can’t help but associate Nevada with the ever-kind Sue Sevon in her hometown of Fallon. The mountains Colorado pale in comparison to the enormity of generosity that Jack and Donna Seilheimer showed us in Pueblo. Newly weds Sam and Sherry Flaming of Hutchinson, KS are epitome of mid-West hospitality. When Dave and I first rolled into these towns we were greeted by strangers. By the time we left we knew we had made deep and lasting connections with extraordinarily kind and generous people that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

As evidenced by Sue, Jack, Donna, Sam, and Sherry, public response to the Ride was extremely supportive all across the country. The magnitude of the undertaking- “Wait, you’re seriously biking 4,000 miles this summer?”- speaks to the magnitude of the problems we face. Time after time when I told people about the Ride the response was the same: “If you’re willing to spend an entire summer biking for this cause, it must mean a lot to you. Tell me more.” Spreading awareness about the global AIDS pandemic and entering into serious, interesting conversations with people from a variety of backgrounds was perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the summer.

Finally, the Ride made me realize for the first time in a very concrete way how important students are to this movement. I witnessed firsthand how you can plant a seed in someone’s mind and watch it grow. We as students have boundless energy and an unlimited resolve to face the problems that the world faces today. Whether by spreading awareness and affecting change through political channels in the United Sates or by raising funds that directly support life-saving care in Rwanda, we are the impetus for social change in the 21^st century. For me the Ride Against AIDS was an extraordinarily powerful way to get involved in an intensive, hands-on way with these issues that I care so deeply about.

Each year FACE AIDS seeks to grow and improve the Ride Against AIDS, but some things will never change. The roads may be different, but they will still call to you. The route may change, but you will still meet incredible people all over this great country. And one day we will live in world without AIDS and the need will change, but we will still be here to answer the call.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the Ride. My email is austin@faceaids.org and I’m ecstatic to talk to you about whatever questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you and encourage you to apply for a spot on the 2011 Ride Against AIDS team by December 15!

Ride Against AIDS Application: http://www.faceaids.org/rideagainstaids.html

By Jared Augenstein (MPH Candidate, Yale University; Former FACE AIDS Chapter Leader, Vassar College)

In my junior year at Vassar College I had the opportunity to travel to Iganga, Uganda with a group of students to work with a local community and NGO on designing and implementing a motorcycle ambulance project. Prior to this experience I’d had no exposure to global health, I probably could not have pointed Uganda out on a map, much less have told you about the global health challenges that plague the country. But I took a chance, much to my parents’ disliking and decided that this was an opportunity I wanted to pursue. Looking back now, as a graduate student in public health, this was one of the most life-changing experiences I’ve ever had. Working alongside my peers in Uganda I was able to understand what problems the community was facing and how we could work together to try and provide solutions.

This past summer I had the privilege of working at FACE AIDS as a summer programming director and in a fateful car ride with two of my co-workers, we discovered that all of us had experienced similar life-changing moments while working with communities abroad that got us interested in global health. So we thought, if we really want FACE AIDSers to be passionate about their activism, and work first-hand alongside members of communities abroad on tackling some of the most pressing issues of our generation, what could be better than encouraging students to work abroad? Now, we also know that it isn’t usually easy finding funding for this type of project, so we thought, let’s start a program that will fund students who want to do work abroad but don’t have the means to do so. So after lots of meetings, discussions, and planning, we are now proud to announce that we will be offering two fellowships this summer for students like you to work on a project abroad!

I encourage anybody interested to apply and anyone on the fence about applying to contact Julie (julie@faceaids.org) or me (jared@faceaids.org). We would be more than happy to discuss the application with you and to walk you through the process. If the program is successful this year, we’ll hopefully be able to expand it in future years so that more and more young leaders in global health can have the opportunity to share the experience that sparked my passion for global health and has led me to pursue a career in global health and social justice.

In Solidarity,

Jared Augenstein

About the Fellowship:

The Summer Fellowship in Health Innovation provides an opportunity for students to design and implement full-time summer projects that address HIV/AIDS and other pressing global health issues, domestically or abroad. Projects must be carried out in collaboration with a community partner of the fellow’s choice.

FACE AIDS will provide each Summer Fellow with $2,500 to cover all personal costs associated with the program (e.g. flight, room and board, vaccinations). Fellows are expected to fundraise their project costs. Two fellowships will be awarded for summer 2011.

Learn more and apply: http://faceaids.org/summerfellowship.html

By Maggie Savage, FACE AIDS Chapter Support Director

During my freshman year of college, one student decided to bring HIV testing to campus by holding a large, day-long testing event where about 60 people got tested. The event included a cook-out and games out on the residential quad making the event inviting to all. Her reasons for bringing testing to campus were the same reasons that FACE AIDS is launching the Be In The Know Campaign–to combat stigma around HIV testing, to give students an opportunity to know their statuses, and to stand in solidarity with those living with HIV around the world.

Following that initial testing event the spring of my freshman year, HIV testing occurred once a week in our student activities center for the next 3 years I was in college.  HIV testing became something that people expected to see every week in the student center. The school newspaper wrote articles about the campaign. People wore the free t-shirts they received for getting tested around campus. You saw students from all walks of life wearing the campaign t-shirt at the gym, to class, and on the weekends. HIV testing and the Know Your Status Campaign had become a regular part of campus life. I saw the power of a testing campaign to combat stigma and encourage students to take ownership of their health.

By summer of senior year, I had engaged with HIV on a variety of different levels from grassroots education in rural Malawi to high level policy in Geneva, Switzerland, but I had yet to take action in my own community. I decided it was time to stop focusing on the other and recognize what was happening in my home community as well. I took a position as a research assistant on a project looking at how a regional information sharing network can serve those living with HIV in Western North Carolina and began volunteering at an AIDS Service Organization running their food pantry. The Know Your Status Campaign had done a terrific job in the previous three years to open students’ eyes to the fact that we did not live in the bubble of our university and that this virus was not a world away but impacted our campus and community daily. I wanted to be a part of sharing that message, so I became a trained HIV tester and counselor on my campus to both stand in solidarity with those around the world and in Durham affected by HIV with whom I had worked and to encourage my peers to take ownership over their health and know their statuses.

This year chapter members across the country have the same opportunity as I did to take action on their own campus through the Be In The Know Campaign. I challenge each chapter member to take the pledge to get tested by December 1st and then mobilize a testing campaign on their own campus by the end of the year. Through the Be In The Know Campaign, we can stand up against the epidemic in our home communities, educate our peers on the importance of getting tested and change the stigma around getting tested. It is time we unite our global focus with local action and stand together to get tested, know our statuses, and turn the tide of the epidemic in the United States and around the world. Take the pledge right here, right now to Be In The Know: