Absa Seychelles donates R125,000 to help eliminate stigma around HIV/Aids |12 October 2020

Ms Bernstein hands over the cheque to Mr Freminot (Photo source: Absa Seychelles)

 Absa Bank Seychelles has donated R125,000 to long-standing non-governmental organisation, HIV/ Aids Support Organisation (Haso).

The sum is set to further sustain and support Haso with its new harm reduction and sensitisation campaign scheduled to roll out in October 2020.

The cheque handover made on September 24, 2020 at Absa Seychelles offices at Capital City in Victoria was done in the presence of Absa’s head of marketing and corporate relations, Amanda Bernstein, and a number of Absa Seychelles colleagues.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the NGO was its chairperson Justin Freminot.

The objective of the campaign is set to contribute towards the reduction of HIV/ Aids transmission in Seychelles and similarly position Haso as a thought leader and catalyst for change in the region. Through its leadership programmes, Haso has allowed for the elimination of stigma and discrimination regarding HIV/Aids in our communities.

“Helping to defend the rights of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their families is one of the key objectives of Haso, and this is something that lies at heart in our organisation. Haso continues to be very instrumental in advocating for the reviewing of policies that affect and discriminate vulnerable minority groups, and the organisation has our full support. Our responsibility is to ensure a mentally and physically fit workforce which will contribute to higher production in our country, something that we feel strongly about at Absa Seychelles,” said Ms Bernstein.

As part of its campaign, Haso will meet with stakeholders to educate on HIV rapid testing, roll out a new media sensitisation campaign, prepare and distribute IEC materials (Information Education and Communication) and increase capacity of peer educators in HIV testing, pre-test counselling and data collection.

“Through Absa Seychelles’ support, Haso will not only help in the reduction of HIV/Aids cases, but also help assist in keeping this population healthy and educated to guarantee productivity. Haso remains steadfast in its endeavour to promote changes of lifestyle in our communities,” added Mr Freminot.

Registered in 1995, Haso has been in the forefront of the national response on HIV/Aids harm reduction in Seychelles.

Absa Seychelles is a proud collaborator on this campaign and we look forward to seeing fruitful results and positive responses as a response to this campaign.

Press release from Absa Seychelles