Leading HIV Advocacy Group offering Free HIV Test
Nicole bagged First Runner-Up at the end of the night — a feat Nicole herself considers a satisfying end to the journey of a 26-year old BPO employee who, only months ago, had one previous office pageant and a noontime show transgender queen search on her kontesera (pageant veteran) résumé.
It will be beneficial for these PLHIV to have some form of assurance in having a secured life and future if only they are given a chance to apply for life insurance policy without discriminatory provisions.
Stars aligned on Saturday, June 2, 2018, at the People’s Hall of SM Aura Premier when LoveYourself welcomed Batch Upendo, a cluster of 56 new recruits in the HIV and AIDS awareness advocacy. With the orientation of these extraordinary individuals, Batch Upendo has etched its mark in LoveYourself history as it became its 20th batch of volunteers. On top of that, 56 was the just the right number to push LoveYourself’s roster of advocates beyond the one thousand mark.
This is the story of Nay Elena – a PLHIV, a woman, a Ripple Awardee, and on top of everything, a mother.
As it empowers more people to get tested for HIV, the organization grew the need for full-time employees to sustain itself. Some people had the courage and passion to take their advocacies to the next level and work in a non-profit organization while helping the community as volunteers.
The effectiveness of ART in lowering the viral load benefits not only the PLHIV undergoing treatment, but also other people who are at risk of HIV infection through sexual contact and mother to child transmission. It is the basis of the Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U) campaign, a significant shift in approach on how we deal with HIV. As crucial as it is to drive prevention, it is only half of the battle. As any battle would require, the soldier aka the person fighting for one’s own welfare, should be mindful of the discipline, adherence, and an overall improvement of lifestyle.
53 volunteers rounded up Batch Atma-Prema, LoveYourself’s first clutch of fresh recruits for 2018. Supported by the Australian government and in partnership with the Taguig City Government, LoveYourself embraces the new bloods in the fight against HIV and the stigma that surrounds it.
The HIV and AIDS epidemic has long been attached to the LGBTQI+ community since the early 1980’s. As of December 2017, the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines has reported that 87% of sexually transmitted cases of HIV are men having sex with men (MSM).
Globally, there is limited data on the prevalence of HIV infection among transgender people as most epidemiological surveillance systems only ask for a person’s sex at birth, making transgender women fall under the MSM category. A meta-analysis by Baral and colleagues in 2013 [4] revealed that the average HIV prevalence among trans women in several North American, Latin American, European, and Asian countries was 19.1%, significantly higher than the general population. Other studies, found that transgender persons have higher risk of HIV infection than MSM.
We’re only a week away to Fit to Love: Love Your Body, Live Your Life, a photoshoot campaign for a cause by LoveYourself that promotes upholding your sexual, mental, and physical health. Register at go.loveyourself.ph/fittolove, and we’ll see you on March 17 and 18 at The Upper Deck Sports Center, 6/F Ortigas Technopoint Building, 1 Doña Julia Vargas Avenue, Pasig City.
Yasmien Kurdi and the rest of the crew has shouted out how they are fit to love, and so can you! Still thinking about signing up? Well, let these fresh faces tell you more about how everyone is definitely fit to love.