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Group gets $10K to fight HIV stigma in NMI
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Posted on Mar 09 2009
The Napu Life Foundation, a nationally recognized 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, has been granted $10,000 to break down the barriers of stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS in the CNMI.
Since its inception on July 8, 2005, the Napu Life Foundation has worked hard to fulfill its mission in creating and providing innovative community programs that would heighten community awareness of this pandemic.
With the recent grant award provided by the Office of Minority Health Resource Center based out of Washington D.C., Napu Life will be implementing a membership recruitment drive that would allow interested community members to be educated and involved in the various activities of Napu Life.
“Our primary aim is to empower the community through education and application. There are still many misconceptions about HIV and AIDS,” said Jack Kiyoshi Jr., Napu Life board vice president. “Silence fuels the stigma of HIV and AIDS in our community. We are determined to equip our community to take a proactive stance in breaking through the silence by learning about, discussing, and taking action to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS in our island community.”
Napu Life’s role will also aim to identify local and national resources to provide services not currently offered through existing organizations. Furthermore, it will also continue to serve as the primary advocacy group for HIV/AIDS related issues.
“We have created a wide range network and developed strong relationship with agencies in the Pacific region and U.S. to ensure that we are not missing any opportunities or resources our organization and community could avail in the work of HIV and AIDS,” Kiyoshi added.[B][I] (PR)[/I][/B]
