J.D.Wilson and Elizabeth Prabu

Project AIDS Through Care & Training (PACT) is a project of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Chennai, which is a registered Trust. YWAM is a non – denominational International Christian organization working amongst the underprivileged, the poorest of the poor, the sick, the uneducated, the deserted, the rejected, and the uncared for in about 130 nations around the world. YWAM India was registered in the year 1985 as a TRUST at Chennai. Today YWAM India is involved in evangelism, mercy ministry and training in around 110 locations with a staff of over 1100 in India.

PACT was started in 1997 to work amongst the HIV/AIDS infected and their families because in India, as in all countries, AIDS has matured to become an epidemic. Over the last eight years we have touched about 15000 HIV infected people in counseling and meeting their needs. During this time we have noticed that most of those who come for help become very dependant on the NGOs helping them for food and medication and end up not being able to provide for themselves and their families. This project will help them to raise their quality of living and help them enter the work market (by training them in skills such as candle and incense making etc.) and not be dependant on NGOs. By training them to start micro enterprises they will be able to provide for their families

Indians who have contracted AIDS often suffer in several ways. Firstly, family members often reject the members with AIDS due to the social stigma it brings and fear of contracting the disease. Secondly, one who has contracted AIDS will often lose his/her job if co-workers come to know of it. Thirdly, many private health care professionals refuse to treat or see AIDS patients due to their own ignorance of the disease and fear of contracting it. The entire scenario leaves the AIDS patient rejected, ignorant of his disease, destitute, and unable to meet even his basic needs.

PACT has a four-pronged program approach through which it operates.

• Hospital Visits: PACT staff visits HIV/AIDS affected patients in hospitals that agree to treat them. We build relationships, provide counseling and try to meet practical material needs.
• Home Based Care: PACT staff visits 150 patients in their homes. We provide counselling and material needs and occasionally financial needs, as our budget allows. We also help them with any other assistance they would need. PACT supports the education of children of HIV positive parents. These visits from our staff create an atmosphere of love and care through which we encourage the family members to reciprocate. This encourages the family members to accept their sick loved ones wholeheartedly.
• Hospice for women: PACT has set up a hospice for destitute women suffering from AIDS. This facility has ten beds and has housed around 80 women since its beginning. They are provided with counseling, medical care, personal needs and vocational training. For these women the hospice is also a home where they can live in dignity. The families of these patients are met and counseled.
• Hospice for children: shelter for children who are HIV positive. These children get education, medical care, entertainment and moral care and support. We meet every need of these unfortunate children. This is an eight-bed facility. These children receive ARV medication, education and love and care from our trained staff.