Non-profit organisation, the Singapore Planned Parenthood
Association or SPPA organised today its first AIDS awareness
programme for Bangladeshi migrant workers.
That's because the Association says, such workers usually have
limited access to intervention programmes in preventing the disease
due to cultural and language barriers.
It adds, the Overseas Workers AIDS Awareness Programme aims to
solve this problem.
Shaffiq Alkhatib reports.
Twenty-six year old migrant worker, Washim Akram is a familiar
figure at the Lembu Road open plaza in Little India.
Since arriving here from Bangladesh more than a year ago, he goes
to the spot nearly every day to meet up with friends.
With the event, not only did Washim get to enjoy a free Bengali
movie at the plaza, he also learnt more about how he can protect
himself against HIV/AIDS through a talk organised by SPPA.
"I've found out how HIV is transmitted. I also learnt more about
the proper use of condoms."
Washim is one of some 500 Bangladeshi migrant workers who turned up
at the event.
John Vijayan Vasavan who's SPPA's Treasurer says the Association
will organise more of such events in the future.
"We hope to organise talks for the Filipino community, the Thai
community, the Chinese community from mainland China, and also for
Myanmar nationals in the next six months or so."
Mr Vasavan adds SPPA first launched the outreach programme for
migrant workers in March this year.
Back then, it targetted Tamil-speaking migrant workers from
India.
"It was held right next to the temporary Tekka Market. We were very
encouraged as they gave us positive feedback. They were happy the
talk was conducted because where they come from, they may not have
access to such information."
More than 1000 people attended that event, says Mr Vasavan.
--938Live