Community News

AIDS Support Group Saba receives AMFO money.

Story and photo by Suzanne Nielsen and reprinted with permission of the Daily Herald.

February 14, 2007

A delegation of the Netherlands Antilles Co-Financing (AMFO) was on Saba Wednesday to award grants to Saba NGOs in official signing ceremonies.

The Aids Support Group Saba (ASGS) received NAf 54,285 to continue its work in response to HIV/AIDS on Saba. Outgoing ASGS President Carl Buncamper and incoming President Suzan den Elshout signed on behalf of the Saba NGO and AMFO director Stanley Betrian signed for his organization.

Buncamper gave the group a history of the 17-year old Saba organization. Currently ASGS is working with the Saba Medical School to educate Saba Comprehensive Students about sexuality and healthy living. It has a website and an office in Windwardside which is staffed every morning. Buncamper said that the high school program, called RESPECT, has been very successful and other islands have inquired about using it as a model in their own communities. Buncamper said that the organization is now working on its next five-year strategic plan. Buncamper commented that ASGS has seen tremendous improvement in the community in its willingness to talk about the disease and prejudicial behaviour towards people living with the virus has been virtually eliminated. Currently, confidential testing is available for all pregnant women and civil servants.

Buncamper also told the AMFO group that Saba was unique in its cooperation and support from the Medical School, which has now added the outreach program to its own curriculum. Medical students are also in charge of answering the "Hot Line" which gives community members a confidential pathway to ask health questions and receive informed answers.

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Story and photograph © Suzanne Nielsen, 2007.