Red Ribbon Express enters Maharashtra

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Dear Forum

Futher to the earlier postings related to Red Ribbon Express, here is an update

from Maharashtra State.

The Red Ribbon Expess (RRE), a train initiated by National AIDS Control

Organisation, which will traverse across the country within one year, has

entered Maharashtra State.

The campaigning of the RRE starts in Nagpur. It will remain in Nagpur for two

days, 20th and 21st. As part of the campaign, exhibitions have been arranged in

the train for general public.

There will be training on HIV/AIDS for various stake holders, in a coach

arranged exclusively as auditorium for training. Around 180 people in three

batches (60 per batch ) will be trained each day.

There is facility of counseling on board. Service of doctors are also arranged

in another coach. As part of the outreach activities six teams of cycle caravans

has been flagged off at 9 am from Nagpur. These teams will perform in various

villages. 24 villages will be covered in a single day. Village level

mobilisation and cycle caravan is implemented by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangthan

(NYKS), a partner of NACO for RRE. Two bus caravans will visit the peripheries

of the districts and perfom folk plays and interact with the community. The bus

caravan activities are coordinated by the HLFPPT and PSI.

UNICEF is the organisation which developed the communication strategy,

exhibition coaches and maintaining the communication aspects of the RRE.

Its the Railway Ministry which provided the train and related infrastructure.

The whole concept was developed by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.

The campaign in the State is realised under the ownership of the Ministry of

Health and Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society.

Agencies like AVERT, Mumbai, Positive Networks, NGOs etc are mobilising their

resources to make this event a success.

The train will proceed to Wardha and will be in Wardha from 22nd to 24rd

December. On 25th and 26th the RRE will be in Bellarshah and on 27th it will be

in Gondia. From Gondia the RRE will proceed to Chhattisgarh.

Thanks and Regards

S.Ajai Kumar

Consultant (Red Ribbon Express)

e-mail: <ajai.ksacs@...>