By Marie Pfeifer
Laurie Litt-Robbins and Joann McEniry of New Jersey Aids Services in Morristown just returned from the sweltering heat of Haiti, where they educated 2,000 Haitians about prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS.
Nearly 1.5 percent of the island’s residents test positive for HIV, versus a quarter-of-one percent of the U.S. population, according to Litt-Robbins, chief executive officer of NJ AIDS Services.
The women traveled with an organization called Helping Hands and Beyond.
“Helping Hands and Beyond, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing medical mission work to areas in need, wanted to add the HIV piece to their mission work,” Litt-Robbins said.
Teaming with volunteers, the women gave up to 15 workshops a day to schoolchildren and adults.
One goal was to demystify common myths, such as the belief that AIDS can be contracted by kissing. The delegation also exposed less-known facts– such as AIDS can be contracted by all forms of unprotected sexual activity. More than 3,000 condoms were distributed to the local population.
“Ensuring that all people have access to prevention education and methods is key to stopping the spread of this devastating virus…it’s an obligation of AIDS service organizations everywhere to get involved with global prevention efforts,” McEniry said in a statement.
“It was a humbling experience to go to an impoverished country,” Litt-Robbins told MorristownGreen.com. “There is always a sense of sadness when you encounter so many in need of medical care. If we save one person it has been worth our efforts. We do not know what to expect of the ripple effect from the people whose lives we touched.”
