Indonesia: One Life Evolution reaches young people on HIV

Bali, August 11, 2009: Around 1300 people from different backgrounds, ages and nationalities, have passed through World Vision Indonesia’s One Life Evolution (OLE) interactive exhibition in Bali in its first two days.

The aim of the exhibition is to promote understanding and empathy for people living with HIV and AIDS in Asia and the Pacific. As a humanitarian organisation focusing on children, World Vision also hopes the exhibition will attract young Indonesians and provide them with the correct information they need to protect themselves from the virus.

It opened on Monday in Denpasar as part of “International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific 9th” (ICAAP 9), August 9 -13, 2009. Over the next six months the exhibition will also travel to Surabaya and Jakarta.

Among visitors on the first day was Secretary of the Indonesian AIDS Commission Nafsiah Mboi, who opened the exhibition with a reminder on the importance of reducing stigma. Despite new laws to protect the rights of people living with HIV and AIDS, “stigma and discrimination still exists in our workplaces,” said Nafsiah.

The visitors in the second day were mainly junior and senior high school students, invited by World Vision.

Ni Putu Desy Sukma Dewi, a student at state senior high school in Tabanan district, Bali, said she was impressed with the experience.

“I learned a lot about how to respect others who are infected with HIV,” said Desy, adding that it has also encouraged her to share her new knowledge on HIV and AIDS with others.

World Vision Indonesia’s National Director Trihadi Saptoadi said at Sunday’s opening that hundreds of Indonesian children are infected with HIV.

“We have to join hands to solve the problem, love our children by providing them with correct information on HIV and AIDS as early as possible,” said Trihadi. “The OLE exhibition is just one of many World Vision efforts to educate Indonesian children.”

Top designer Samuel Wattimena who visited the exhibition said that OLE is a good concept.

“I have never seen this before. This idea behind the exhibition is brilliant as it could be understood universally,” said Samuel.

World Vision has been working in Indonesia for 50 years, and currently offers development, advocacy and relief projects in around 700 villages spreading from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to Papua provinces.

World Vision Indonesia supports more than 90,000 children through its programmes; a further 6,000 children are supported by Indonesian donors and sponsors through its partner Wahana Visi Indonesia.

Why is One Life Evolution Indonesia so special?

Five life journeys are presented, one from India, one from Cambodia and three from Indonesia. The stories consider economic background, gender, age, and many different ways of contracting the virus.

OLE exhibition will be held in five locations in the three cities with the biggest HIV prevalence: Bali, Surabaya and Jakarta. The exhibition will close in Jakarta on December 1 to coincide with World AIDS Day.

This exhibition is free and opened for visitors aged 15 years and above. (Tour dates)

OLE is supported by:

Government institutions: National AIDS Commission, Badung Regency AIDS Commission, Surabaya AIDS Commission, Jakarta AIDS Commission, Social Department, Health Department, Education Department, Bali Tourism Board
AIDS Care Center Foundation: Kios Atmajaya, Komunitas Rumah Philia, FHI and YAKITA
Media: SCTV, Pundi Amal, Globe Asia Group, Kompas, MRA
Corporations: Indofood, PB & Co, Discovery Shopping Mall Kuta, Tunjungan Plaza Surabaya, LaPiazza Kelapa Gading, Taman Impian Jaya Ancol, ExxonMobil, Samudra Dyan Praga, GE, IndosatM2, Sony Indonesia, Digital Inmark, Kuark International and RealPro TV