Housing for PLWAs……

By Tyrone Hall, a Vienna Youth Force Youth Journalist, a Graduate Student at Clark University, USA

The discussion about HIV and AIDS often surrounds prevention despite the acute need for the provision of social services etcetera for those infected and affected by the disease.
Housing Works Inc, the largest non-profit AIDS advocacy organization is changing that pattern. Housing Works Inc which is based in New York seeks to provide comfortable and affordable housing solutions and medical care to PLWAs. The entity reaches more than 1 700 new clients each year and is poised to expand its services by dialoging here at the AIDS 2010 conference in Vienna, Austria.

Unlike most non-profits, Housing Works’ agenda isn’t dictated by grant providers, it is a progressive and self-sufficient entity. Housing Works Inc. owns a range of highly profitable businesses- thrift stores, building management and maintenance stores, medical facilities, as well as, a catering company and a book store. Amazingly too, ALL profits go towards Housing Works’ projects…so patrons who keep the multi-million dollar thrift stores abuzz should feel a sense of pride.

Housing Works’ has a young and vibrant staff too. Tree Alexander, a 24 year old Therapy Specialist, is one such staff member. Tree is excited about the work he does with Housing Works. He says “ I’m a nurturer by nature …I get to work with people and see things change…it is outside of the prevention side where you give people information and never see them again…you get to see people actually reach their goals.”

The enigmatic Tree Alexander works with individuals who are living with HIV and other disabilities (cancer, TB etc.). The youngster helps his clients to build a relationship with medical providers and to deal with their condition mentally, emotionally and physically. Tree says many of his clients have little to no access to care; many are positive and are also new residents in the areas where the organization operates.

Housing Works Inc. also operate in Washington DC, Mississippi, Puerto Rico and Haiti.

Photography as an advocacy tool

closing session at Vienna AIDS 2010 Youth Pavilion held


Different memories, different human destinies, different faces and different stories behind them ……It’s all about photography.

On the last day of International AIDS Conference 2010 Vienna Youth Force held a photography session – a very good opportunity to share best practices and experiences on how photography can be used to spread ideas.

Among the panel speakers were representatives of youth networks such as Y-PEER (www.youthpeer.org), independent photographers and Vienna Youth Force Media and Communications team (www.youthaids2010.org).

Speaking of photography as a powerful tool to spread advocacy messages, Y-PEER International Coordinator for Media & Communications Davron Mirsagatov went back to 2007 when the first Y-PEER photo contest occurred. Another part of Y-PEER comprehensive multimedia advocacy campaign is the recent interactive exhibition “Youth in Arab States: Changing the World for the Better” sharing life stories of young people from Arab states and challenges they overcome within their communities.

In her turn, Vienna YouthForce Media and Communications Co-Chair Elisabeth Szerencsics showed off the impressive photos of AIDS 2010 youth journalists – a nice recognition of their hard work and commitment during the conference.

The session was finalized by a group photo.

On July 22nd, 2010 youth peer education network - Y-PEER (www.youthpeer.org) – hosted a networking event and party to celebrate the work young people did at International AIDS Conference 2010. The event’s agenda included launching of Y-PEER HIV knowledge applications for phones and live performances from Y-PEER ambassadors Dani, Ana Stanic, Gharby and Hollywood actor Sammy Sheik.

Y-PEER believes that young people are influenced by pop culture and pop culture icons like movie stars, popular bands and singers. As a result, Y-PEER has set a group of celebrities around the globe to help to spread the messages of youth empowerment, healthy lifestyle and responsible behaviour.

Thus, young people had an opportunity to network, socialise and have fun, accompanied by spectacular performances of Y-PEER celebrities!

Knowledge is Key...Know Your Rights!

By Tyrone Hall, a Vienna Youth Force Youth Journalist and Graduate Student at Clark University, USA


The HIV and AIDS issue is a Human Rights issue. And with every right, there is a responsibility.

Know your universal human rights and demand that they are respected!

You have the right to:
-Life
-Privacy
-Information
-Education
-Work
-Non-Discrimination
-Political and Civil Rights

These are your rights even if you are a member of a vulnerable population or happen to be a migrant, refugee or an internally displaced person.

The battle for a representative, potent and sustainable youth agenda must have these rights at its core. That battle will only be won if we educate ourselves and refrain from being patronized. Get involved, peruse the international instruments and internalize them, demand action now.


Here are the main instruments:

The United Nations Charter, 1945

The Universal Declaration on Human Rights, 1948

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1976

The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, 1981

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, 2003

The African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights, 1981

The World Conference on Human Rights, 1993

The International Conference on Population and Development and the Cairo Plan of Action, 1994

He Who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune!

By Tyrone Hall, a Vienna Youth Force Youth Journalist and Graduate Student at Clark University, USA.

Suzette Moses-Burton, Head of CRN Plus, a Caribbean network led by people living with HIV, says the strings attached to funding are hampering a comprehensive and representative response in the Caribbean.

The activist says “funders have asked the organization to change its leadership for the purse strings to be released.” However, Mrs. Moses-Burton is defiant. She says “people living with HIV have the right to self-governance…giving up the right to self-governance will open up a Pandora’s Box.”
She says as far as CRN plus is concerned “there is not much to celebrate. This once vibrant organization of PLW-HIV lays an organizational shamble. Its members worn because of the inability to access funding from the regional organizational mechanism.”

The experience of CRN Plus offers many lessons to the global youth movement geared at amplifying the perspectives of young people about HIV and AIDS. The movement is in danger of being co-opted and must avert such a path to ensure its potency.