Eight Organizations Receive HIV/AIDS Funds from U.S. Ambassador

Ambassador Thummalapally with Hand in Hand Ministries' Abel Vargas

On October 5, U.S. Ambassador to Belize Vinai K. Thummalapally awarded grants totaling BZ$123,308 to eight organizations to support programs addressing HIV/AIDS in Belize.   

Ambassador Thummalapally signed Memoranda of Understanding and award checks with representatives of the organizations.  This funding is provided by the Caribbean Ambassadors’ HIV Prevention Program – a project of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.  The objective of the Ambassadors’ HIV Prevention Program is to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean general population and to strengthen support for the Caribbean Regional Strategy to combat HIV and AIDS.  Since the program started in 2002, the Embassy in Belize has funded 44 initiatives totaling over BZ$300,000 (not including 2011).

The organizations that received funding are Hand in Hand Ministries, United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM), Pan American Social Marketing Organization (PASMO), Tikkun Olam Belize, Mr. Gian Cho and Ms. Kathleen Azueta, Mr. Gonzalo Castillo, Go Joven-The Hummingbirds, and Women’s Issues Network-Belize.