Educating one person, saves many from HIV

Today we want to share with you, our GlobalGiving donors and supporters, the results of the second version of the exhibition HIV: a glance through art, that was funded with the resources crowd-sourced thanks to the GG Platform. Our partners at Comfenalco supported us with the set-up of the exhibition.

Each presentation is an artistic interpretation of the artists and shows his or her personal perception regarding the subject of HIV and does not necessarily reflect our position regarding STDs and HIV.

In the second version of our artistic exhibition that aims at increasing awareness of the HIV infection, Elly Osorio occupied the 1st place with her series of artworks titled Ruptures. "This work represents HIV as a symbolic burden, it is defined as the emotional rupture it causes and the process while the person vanishes for himself and for society, art helps to transform that reality and question it, so my work brings out an illness replete with myths, ruptures and for some surrealists, causing society to perpetuate discrimination against these people, making them almost invisible ", said the artist.

Carolina Zapata Vargas obtained the second place with her work using the technique collage with pills. The artist describes her work in this way: "Antirretroviral therapy (ART) has saved thousands of lives around the world, before people knew who was living with HIV / AIDS, many people died. Today, thanks to medications, people with HIV / AIDS have increased life expectancy and life quality. This work reflects both the amount and the variety of pills that should be taken daily by a person living with HIV and also alludes to the adherence that must be observed by those who require such therapy, which is essential for the treatment to be successful. It also exhibits the therapeutic value, both individually and jointly, of the drugs that make up what was called the “cocktail” (...). The faces represent those who live with a virus, the one who has suffered the consequences of a disease, but who undoubtedly has a life as personal as yours and mine".

John Anderson Arango Sáenz presented three photographic works, of which our panel of judges selected two titled "The others mine" and "And now my life smells like a flower". These are some sections of how the artist presented his work: "The photographic images (...) are part of the PARTIENDO DE SERO project, a chain of positive stories, the result of joint work between the therapeutic group of people living and living with HIV and the RASA Foundation. These photos are part of the photographic exhibition that bears the same name and includes, mostly, life stories shared with the writer Roberto Restrepo Restrepo and whose narrative, mostly, was drawn up by him. (...) The result is a text that seeks to portray some of the different realities that are lived around the dignity of HIV (...). The text and its photographs invite the rupture of imaginaries and stereotypes around sexuality, diversity, love, family relationships, suffering and the aspects that touch us as human beings (...) These photographs seek to illustrate, transmit, communicate and invite to broaden the view in front of a condition of life surrounded by myths. (...) "

Thank you again for helping us make this second artistic exhibition a success and for endorsing our mission of sensitizing and educating about the HIV infection!

--------------------- English Version ---------------------

We are very pleased to share with you the fact that we are recently launched the second version of the prevention and sensitization art exhibition titled "HIV: a glance through Art". We have worked with the preparation of it since the beginning of this project in September 2018. The inauguration was held as part of the commemoration of the World AIDS Day (December 1st).

We recall that this disease has been contracted by more than 77 million people worldwide since the beginning of the epidemic. As of today, 35.4 million have died due to related diseases. Thanks to advances in treatment, HIV / AIDS infection ceased to be a deadly disease and can be considered today as a chronic disease.

The treatment also decreases contagiousness. That is one of the reasons why it is important that all people know if they are infected or not through an exam. Knowledge and education empowers one person, and consequently, we save many of HIV.

The first version of the art exhibition during 2016 was visited by more than 3500 people, and we hope that this exhibition can be seen by many more.

We thank all of you, our GlobalGiving donors, Comfenalco Antioquia and Fraternidad Medellín for supporting this project and other programs of our Foundation.

We hope that this exhibition and its various components meet the following goals:

• Engaging people in dialogue around HIV
• Raising awareness about this condition
• Help disseminate knowledge and measures to prevent this infection, highlighting self-care, respect and self-determination in the exercise of a responsible and healthy sexuality as well as helping to reduce stigma and discrimination.

We share some photos of the opening ceremony and the winners!

We are still far from our fundraising goal, and we rely on your help!

--------------------- Versión en Español ---------------------

Estamos muy contentos de compartir con ustedes la inauguración de la segunda versión de la convocatoria: “VIH una mirada a través del Arte”, el pasado 29 de noviembre, actividad por la que hemos trabajado desde el inicio de este proyecto en septiembre 2018.  Esta inauguración se realizó en el marco de la conmemoración del día mundial de la lucha contra el sida (1° de diciembre).  

Recordamos que esta enfermedad ha sido contraída por más de 77 millones de personas a nivel mundial desde el comienzo de la epidemia,  de las cuales 35,4 millones fallecieron a causa de enfermedades relacionadas. Gracias a los avances en el tratamiento, la infección por VIH / sida, dejó de ser una enfermedad mortal y hoy se considera una enfermedad crónica.

El tratamiento también disminuye la contagiosidad. Por eso es importante que todas las personas conozcan si están infectados o no a través de un examen. Conocer es poder y educando una persona salvamos muchas del VIH. Nuestra primera versión en el 2016 fue visitada por más de 3500 personas, y esperamos que esta exhibición pueda ser vista por muchos más, durante el próximo mes que estará exhibida. 

Agradecemos a todos los donantes de GlobalGiving, a Comfenalco Antioquia y a Fraternidad Medellín por el apoyo para este proyecto y los programas de la Fundación.

Esperamos que esta exposición y sus distintos componentes, cumplan los objetivos de:

• Entablar un diálogo entorno al VIH
• Sensibilizar acerca de esta condición
• Difundir conocimiento y las medidas de prevención de esta infección, destacando el auto-cuidado, el respeto y la libre determinación en el ejercicio de una sexualidad responsable, sana y placentera, y en especial, ayude a disminuir el estigma y la discriminación.

Les compartimos algunas fotos de la ceremonia de inauguración y de los ganadores!

Aún estamos lejos de la meta, esperamos poder continuar con su ayuda y que nos ayude en la difusión de este proyecto.