2007 Speeches
Ambassador's HIV Prevention Program Award Ceremony - November 14, 2007
Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) of Belize Conference Room
Belize City
Welcome, and thank you for joining us.
We are here today to announce the 2007 Ambassador’s HIV Prevention Program grants. These grants demonstrate the U.S. government’s commitment to partnering with Belize to reduce suffering from and encourage prevention of HIV/AIDS. The people of the United States are major contributors to the world wide effort to combat the HIV epidemic and these funds represent a continuing commitment by the people of the United States to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Belize. HIV and AIDS continue to take a heavy toll on Belize. As you know, according to the Ministry of Health, 230 new HIV infections were recorded through June of this year and there are a cumulative total of 4035 HIV infections since 1986.
The Ambassador’s HIV Prevention Program was designed in 2002 to enable U.S. Ambassadors in the Caribbean region to support local community groups combating the epidemic. As President Bush has said, only through sustained and focused international cooperation can we address problems so grave and suffering so great. Since 2002 the Ambassador’s Fund for HIV/AIDS has contributed a total of BZ$217,000 to help reduce HIV/AIDS in Belize. This is in addition to money Belize receives though the Global Fund initiative of which the United States is by far the largest contributor. Other contributions in Belize range from USAID financial contributions to the community-based work of our fine Peace Corps volunteers.
I have the honor of announcing that through the Ambassador’s Fund the U.S. Government will contribute an additional BZ$50,000 to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to help those who are already afflicted. This year’s award recipients are focusing their efforts to address issues of stigma and discrimination.
Stigma and discrimination and the fear of experiencing its effects have a profound impact on the ability and willingness of people to access the services that are available for controlling the further spread of the epidemic. Stigma and discrimination complicate the decision about getting tested and people’s willingness to return for their test results. Stigma and discrimination are largely based on fear about how HIV is spread. So it is important to dispel misinformation. For example, HIV is not spread by casual contact. So you can’t get HIV simply by sitting next to someone or by someone coughing on you.
The award recipients today have been doing their part and more, and I thank them for their leadership and their service to their fellow Belizeans. The award recipients represented here today include:
The Belize Red Cross for their “Together We Can” project to educate adolescents on HIV prevention;
CARE-Belize which will develop HIV education materials in Braille;
Equity House for their work with the Garifuna population in Hopkins;
Productive Organization for Women in Action for a behavior change workshop in Dangriga;
The Young Women’s Christian Association for their youth outreach workshops; and
Youth Enhancement Services for production of their HIV/AIDS film, “Precious”.
The grant awards announced today are examples of the United States commitment to continue to assist Belizean civil society and non-governmental organizations in their efforts to improve people’s health and well-being.
It is within the ability of every Belizean to make a difference. I hope that everyone present today thinks about how they personally can contribute to the prevention of AIDS and to the eradication of the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV infection and AIDS.
Before I close, let me thank Darlene Gentle from the economic section at the U.S. Embassy who does so much work each year with the grants project. Let me also thank Director/General Secretary Mrs. Sonia Lenares and the YWCA for the use of the conference room for this event.
I am honored that you are here today. Thank you all for coming, and for sharing in this event.