HIV/AIDS - Removing the stigma

The World Bank office in Sri Lanka is reaching out to civil society to channel the latter’s creativity towards a worthy cause. The project is the ‘Development Market place’ organised by the World Bank. The cause in concern is ‘Tackling HIV/AIDS Stigma and Discrimination’.

The Development Marketplace concept is an innovative one. Proposals from various parts of the region will be showcased in one arena where each party will have to ‘sell’ their idea. A jury will then choose the best proposal to be funded by the World Bank. The awards range from US$5,000 to $40,000. The unique quality of the concept lies in the fact that the proposals to remove the stigma connected to people with AIDS are being given in by members of the society.

Community based Organizations, NGO’s private sector organizations, universities/schools, Local/municipal bodies, Academic institutions, government institutions and Cooperatives are eligible to enter. Speaking at a media briefing recently, officials of World Bank Sri Lanka said that it is preferable if the organizations would create partnerships with each other to submit the proposals because the whole idea of the project is to augment individual knowledge and come up with a unique approach to solve a perennial problem. The main qualities looked for in the proposal would be innovativeness, something that will shock and or stun society into releasing that stigmatizing AIDS victim is not only cruel but also pointless.

Proposals may be made in English, Sinhalese or Tamil. Although Sri Lanka competes with giants like India in the region, it stands a good chance of channeling the award money into the country. (TR)