Knowing more about HIV and AIDS can help keep everyone safe and well. This gift will pay for obvious bits like condoms and medicines, counselling and care as well as awareness-raising activities.

For example, Oxfam has worked with the Indian government and grass roots organisations to strengthen HIV/AIDS care and support services in the states of Orissa and Rajasthan in India. Oxfam Unwrapped funding helped train health workers and counsellors, and improve the availability of testing and counselling services in the remote areas, including services for young people.

Training health workers

38-year-old Sakuntala Harpal is the only midwife from her area of Harichandarpur in Orissa and she provides assistance to over 1,500 people. Previously she had no formal training in health care. Following training from Oxfam she can now identify symptoms related to sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS. She also speaks with villagers about using condoms and gives demonstrations on how to wear them. Sakuntala says "The training has enabled me to conduct deliveries safely. I also disseminate information on sexual reproductive health to my clients and to their families. I am happy that villagers recommended me for training."

Working with young people

Oxfam's work also focussed on improving access to sexual health and HIV/AIDS information and advice for young people. For example, healthcare workers attended workshops about the services available for young. Since then there has been an increase in the number of referrals to these services. Doctors received training to improve their practices, such as confidentiality, privacy and clinical ethics.