High Street Phoenix & Heroes Project

CULTURE

High Street Phoenix & Heroes Project celebrate World AIDS Day on 1st December 

On 1st December 2012, High Street Phoenix& Heroes Project join hands to celebrate World AIDS Day with a host of activities that seek to propagate awareness about HIV. The day will begin with the setting-up of a condom box on the Aastha table, the “Pledge Your Support” machine where people can pledge their support and a doctor’s room for counselling  There will be a team from Aastha Parivaar and Heroes Project present at High Street Phoenix to speak to the visitors.

Around 3 pm in the afternoon, veteran rangoli  artist Ramakant Shedge will start work on his 6ft X 4 ft live rangoli. Chocolate/book stall will beset up and volunteers will meet people and ask them to take a small quiz. This will be followed by 2 dance performances, one by Elizabeth Pereira & her dance troupe & another by kids from Aryan Dance Academy. Subhrima and Padmanav from the hit singing-reality show “Sa ReGa Ma Pa” will enthrall the mall-rats with their stellar vocal renditions.

Finally, celebrity Swapnil Joshi will read an excerpt fromthe book “Not Like Most Young Girls”, complied by Aastha Parivaar (attached pdf file on the book). He will say a few words on the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and its effect on people. Swapnil will also give prizes to the winners of the quiz and felicitate the performers and release 200 red balloons with community members and the dancers as well as the customers.

Elizabeth is a partner at the Darren Das Dance Studio. She is a celebrity choreographer and was a part of many films and has tutored Manini De and Mihir for the second season of Nach Baliye. She has been a choreographer for over 15 years and has many movies, ad films and musical bums to her credit.

Mr. Shedge is a renowned sculptor, painter, rangoli artist. He has been in the industry for over 30 years and is known for his thematic representation of various issues through his art.

Started by Parmeshwar Godrej and Richard Gere a decade ago, Heroes Project seeks to reduce the debilitating stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and AIDS by using strategic communications and advocacy via societal leaders and the media, to help educate and bring about attitude and behaviour change. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through its Avahan  programme in India, Heroes Project works closely with state government AIDS programmes in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, as well as with the central government through the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).

Aastha Parivaar, a federation of 14 community based organizations by sex workers across Mumbai and Thane –an organization formed by, of and for sex workers. Living in shadows, these are women and men who aspire for a dignified, empowered existence and violence free society. Aastha Parivaar, an umbrella organization of male, female and transgender sex workers, works for the community, from finding alternate means of sustenance to meeting their health care needs, working towards HIV prevention.