It started as a blog in 2011. with the author calling the Website Living with HIV in the Philippines. And its first article, I Have AIDS!, told the story of Pozzie Pinoy, the HIV-positive advocate behind the blog, where he narrated how he overcame this ordeal when he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and was tested HIV-positive.
And so this also served as the foreword of the Website, a precursor of what the readers should expect in its posts.
“The intention of the blog is to give information about HIV and AIDS in the Philippines. It aims to provide information about the importance of prevention, early detection through HIV testing, and treatment of HIV and opportunistic infections. It provides a venue for social interactions and discussions about the disease,” Pozzie Pinoy said.
After now, after running for two years run, Living with HIV in the Philippines has served as a go-to of some sort for many, responding to questions and inquiries from its readers with the help of Dr. Rosanna Ditangco of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
The blog now also serves as a channel in promoting current events and trainings for the benefit of the general population.
Eventually, Pozzie Pinoy also started The Love Fund, an attempt to provide indigent people living with HIV (PLHIV) with medical assistance for laboratory tests and treatment.
Eventually, too, with the continuing success of Living with HIV in the Philippines, Pozzie Pinoy started other efforts for the benefit of PLHIV – particularly, Project Red Ribbon.
“The blog became an area for us to answer questions, but we felt the need to establish other programs that can help and support PLHIV. And since there’s no care management program in the Philippines, we established the Red Ribbon,” Pozzie Pinoy explained.
Project Red Ribbon is a care management program that links advocacy groups with individuals to assist them to obtain discreet HIV testing, while also conducting awareness programs, and most importantly, provide care and support for PLHIV.
“What we do in Red Ribbon is we deal with PLHIV directly. We have support groups, we have outreach programs, online support group talks where PLHIVs gather to share their stories and their journey with each other,” Pozzie Pinoy said.
Compared to other organizations that have efforts for PLHIV, Project Red Ribbon “focuses solely on supporting PLHIV.” Notably, “99% of our managers are PLHIVs, so we know our concerns, we know our needs, we know our problems. We can support other PLHIVs properly,” Pozzie Pinoy stressed.
Project Red Ribbon also organizes: monthly outreach programs – where they visit different treatment hubs to educate new PLHIVs and give inspirational advice; monthly support group gathering; sportsfest; and outings, among others.
And as Pozzie Pinoy said many times over on his Website and during his talks: “No PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV! We are all in this together!”
For more information, visit http://pozziepinoy.blogspot.com/ or email Pozzie Pinoy at pozziepinoy@yahoo.com.
