Events

NEXT ASGS meeting Scheduled for Wednesday, March 3rd, 7pm at our Windwardside office.

December 2009
World AIDS Day Activities
This year’s World AIDS Day activities  kicked off on Friday November 27, with the traditional movie night at Tropic’s Café. The movie “One Week” was well received and had  very positive feedback. The World AIDS Day (WAD) schedule continued on Saturday morning at 8.30 am with the annual walkathon from Windwardside to The Bottom, followed by a ceremony at Saba Groove with speeches , snacks and refreshments.
The AIDS Support Group Saba was very pleased to welcome Mr. Bruce Zagers, Commissioner of Health,  at the ceremony supporting our “Know your Status - Get Tested!” Campaign.
The organization would like to give a big compliment to the Saba Drum Band, which supported our walk from St. John’s to The Bottom with an incredible job!
 A big “thanks” also goes to Saba Groove and staff for the delicious catering and the excellent organization of the ceremony. Last but not least the ASGS would like to thank the Saba Red Cross for supporting and participating in the Aidswalk 2009.
For next year the AIDS Support Group Saba Foundation will schedule the annual walkathon in the evening hours to give everybody a chance to support our ongoing response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean.
The documentation presented at the workshop on Saturday November 28th, afternoon will be shown on Channel 7 for the public.

 

September 2009
Last two condom vending machines up and running
The AIDS Support Group Saba Foundation is proud to announce that the last two condom vending machines are up and running. In August the first two condom vending machines have been installed at 'Saba Groove' in the Bottom. At the beginning of September the second two condom vending machines have been installed at "Guido's" in Windwardside. As of September 18, 2009 the last two condom vending machines are up at Scout's Place and running.


New AMFO financial agreement signed
September 15, 2009. The AIDS Support Group Saba Foundation signed its new financial agreement with long term funder AMFO. The NAF 110,000 grant will support our over 19 ongoing programs and projects such as RESPECT, Girl Power, World Aids Day, Saba Summer Festival, free HIV rapid testing, community outreach, capacity building, PR, to name a few.

UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund)- CC (Comprehensive Condom) Workshop for Program Managers
September 10-11, 2009. UNFPA is an international development agency that promotes the right of every women, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programs to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

The primary objectives of the workshop were:

To increase partner awareness and understanding of Reproduction Health Commodity Security in the region.

To increase partners understanding of Comprehensive Condom Programming so that it can be applied at a National Level and assist partners in the development of National Plans for Condom Programming and Promotion.

To increase partner awareness of the second generation female condom (FC2) and strategies for programming and promoting the FC.

For more information go to www.unfpa.org

 

August 2009
Kickoff Meeting HIV [e]ducation workshop in St. Maartin
The AIDS Support Group Saba Foundation sent Dr. Blaauboer, nurse Suzanna van den Elshout and program coordinator Martina Lebinger to the kickoff meeting of the HIV [e]ducation workshop. The aim of HIV [e]ducation is to provide healthcare workers with complete and updated information on all aspects of treatment and care for patients with HIV/AIDS. The workshop will finish beginning December with a final meeting in St. Maarten.

For more information have a look at the Health[e]Foundation homepage.

June 2009
ASGS Open House
The ASGS held its first OPEN HOUSE. There were information tables about our activities and programs, movies were shown and a very delicious buffet rounded up this event! I would like to thank, everybody who visited and supported us! Also a big thank you to our volunteers!
Although we anticipated more persons visiting the OPEN HOUSE this was not the case. For our next event we would like to encourage more people to attend, seeing that the Caribbean has the 2nd highest infection rate worldwide. This alarming fact and serious health issues does not make it through most minds. It is not the others, the bad people nor the gay community which are the biggest risk group. In fact only 30 % of people living with HIV (PLWHIV) are gay the rest are heterosexuals . The main risk group are married women in there 40ties.
Our mission is  not only to reduce stigma, discrimination and improve the life quality of PLWHIV, it is also to spread awareness and prevent new infections. ASGS also focuses on the Saban youth with projects like Girl Power, RESPECT and the Help Line Saba which is under construction at the moment. These programs are created to help the future Saban society gain confidence and step up to their responsibility towards the community.