Loveyourself Cebu, helping in the battle to prevent HIV

Image courtesy of: Loveyourself.ph

Among those with the highest risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS are those men having sex with men (MSM) so that the MSM group is a very important group to target also with regards to education, counseling and awareness.  And peers can be the best teachers in this case.

Loveyourself may just have the people to best connect to MSMs as many members may be considered peers. According to their website, "Love Yourself Inc. (for the Youth & LGBT-MSM) is a non-stock, non-profit SEC organization that aims to reach out to the community to propagate ideas, attitudes, and practices that encourage loving oneself -- to DARE to be oneself, to CARE for oneself, and to SHARE oneself as a way to multiplying joy."

Loveyourself gives assistance to those who want to be tested for HIV and they assure your anonymity and confidentiality. They are partners with the Department of Health (DOH). They have trained HIV educators and counselors that can be approached by anyone who has certain concerns related to HIV. They organize activities that help promote HIV awareness and provide support to high-risk groups like the youth and MSMs which the DOH might have difficulty reaching or connecting.

A Loveyourself Cebu Team has just been established quite recently and during World Aids Day (WAD), they organized a WAD Parade. This is a welcome development as Cebu is one of the HIV concern areas in the country and the group's entry could boost efforts to lower HIV incidence here. Perhaps if you have patients (for doctors) or if you have friends or relatives who want somebody to talk to regarding their condition, a HIV support group of sorts, you may want to refer them to The Loveyourself Cebu Team.

The Loveyourself team also accepts volunteers and contributions.

You can connect with them also thru Twitter by the way.

Worldblogathon supports Loveyourself Cebu. This post was made during the Worldblogathon brought to you by the Cebu Bloggers Society, Smart and Andy Hotel.