By Annie Ye Ren
For the past four years, I have periodically worked with a Chinese grassroots HIV/AIDS
non-governmental organization (NGO) that serves children in Fuyang Prefecture,
Anhui Province. The Fuyang AIDS Orphan
Salvation Association (AOS) gives aid directly to local communities, addressing
local needs that are often overlooked or underfunded by large-scale government
projects.
By Ricky Gunawan
The story of Rose – the first drug user sentenced by Indonesian courts to rehabilitation instead
of prison – continued this month, with some dramatic twists and turns that
highlight obstacles to implementing Indonesia’s newly improved policy.
Rose was transferred from Pondok Bambu Detention Center to Cibubur Drug Dependence
Hospital (RSKO Cibubur),
on Monday, February 8, 2010. As
I wrote in December, it took months after her July sentence for the
corrupt detention system to actually move her to the hospital. During that
time, Rose suffered from withdrawal symptoms without any medication. But even
once the transfer was finally completed, it seemed the drama had only begun.
by Ami Evangelista Swanepoel
Earlier this week we returned to an area in Santa Lourdes called Purok Matahimik, which means “quiet place”. It is also known as “Pulang Lupa” or red earth because of the color of the soil, or simply known as “Dumpsite” because of the community’s proximity to the Puerto Princesa landfill. This community is a top runner for where we might begin our services as it is quite isolated and very poor, with high numbers of malnourished children.
Ami Evangelista Swanepoel recently moved from the U.S. to her home in the Philippines to start a new health rights NGO, Roots of Health. This week, she shares the disturbing results of their second-ever community health survey.
