Haso marks 25th anniversary with exhibition |14 March 2020
Ms Furneau and Mr Freminot (with hampers) rewarded for their contribution, devotion and commitment towards Haso (Photo: Joena Meme)
To commemorate its 25th anniversary on March 10, 2020, HIV/Aids Support Organisation (Haso) organised an exhibition to showcase its history and activities throughout the past 25 years since 1995.
The half-day exhibition held yesterday morning in the lobby of Orion Mall, was also an opportunity for the public to be sensitised on HIV/Aids. It was opened by the chief executive of Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps), Michel Pierre.
Present were the chief executive of the National Aids Council (Nac), Dr Anne Gabriel; the chairperson of Haso, Justin Freminot; and other representatives and members of Haso, Ceps, Ministry of Health and other invitees and the public in general.
In his opening remarks, Mr Pierre commended the work being done by Haso, saying that the organisation has provided leadership through a variety of sensitisation and awareness activities to eliminate stigma and discrimination and defending the rights of people living with HIV, people injecting drugs and their families.
He further said that Haso to date remains the only NGO in the forefront of the national response to HIV/Aids and harm reduction in Seychelles.
“The organistaion, the only one of its kind currently in the country, continues to be very instrumental in advocating for the review of policies that affect and discriminate against people living with HIV (PLHIV), key population and youth,” he said, congratulating Haso for its great achievements throughout the past 25 years.
HASO was actually created in 1991 after a group of dedicated people from the Ministry of Health got inspired after participating in the first HIV/Aids awareness workshop conducted in Seychelles since the outbreak in 1987. Four years later, the organisation was registered as a non-governmental organisation and was accredited as a member of Lungos (Liaison Unit for Non-governmental Organisations) now Ceps.
The main role of Haso is to complement the work of the Ministry of Health in disseminating information about HIV/Aids to the population, work in collaboration with other organisations in providing support to infected persons, their families and friends.
During the small opening ceremony, the two remaining founding members, Mr Freminot and Georgette Furneau, were presented with a token of appreciation by Dr Gabriel and a hamper of goodies sponsored by the Seychelles Trading Company (STC), and presented by STC representative, Effie Chang-Thiou, for their contribution, devotion and commitment towards Haso.
Mr Freminot said that Haso has made an enormous difference in changing the perspective in the way people view HIV/Aids and people living with the disease, including in making a difference in their lives and that of their families.
He claimed that among all the challenges, the greatest barrier facing Haso is still stigmatisation and discrimination.
He said that though Haso will remain fully engaged in the national response to HIV/Aids and harm reduction in Seychelles through its sensitisation and outreach programmes, much effort will also be put on eliminating stigmatisation and discrimination which will also include working for the repealing of a few laws that discriminate against PLHIV.
Haso is made up of 28 very active volunteers.
Patrick Joubert
