Congrats to Phoenix on its tenth anniversary. Well done, Thiha Kyaing.
Jamie
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HIV support group to mark 10th anniversary
Cherry Thein
Myanmar Times
Friday, 02 October 2015
Phoenix, a local non-government organisation that focuses on HIV issues and community development, will celebrate its 10th anniversary today.
Phoenix’s executive director, U Thiha Kyaing, told The Myanmar Times yesterday that the event will provide an opportunity to share the organisation’s work on HIV issues, education and community development programs.
“It has been 10 years but I feel like it was yesterday when Phoenix started with five partners. Now we have 60 staff and volunteers,” U Thiha Kyaing said, adding, “We cannot stand without the contributions and support of our partners and friends.”
The anniversary celebration will be held at Phoenix’s head office in Hlaing Tharyar township from 10am to 12 noon, and stakeholders including government officials, international and local partners, and civil society organisations have been invited to attend.
Phoenix was originally established by four HIV patients with support from Artsen Zonder Grenzen (AZG), also known as Médecins Sans Frontières Holland.
They started by offering volunteer caregiver service for poor patients in Waibargi North Okkalapa Hospital, and later expanded to Mingalardon General Hospital. They also gained access to HIV-positive patients incarcerated at Insein Prison, and others who had difficulty getting proper healthcare.
Phoenix runs a hostel near its office for patients arriving from outside Yangon. The organisation also helps support education for 5000 children of HIV-affected families, and since 2011 has also provided scholarships to help 70 students continue their university educations.
In 2014, in partnership with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Phoenix began offering awareness training about HIV and sexual and reproductive health to young people, including sex workers. The group also provides health services for young pregnant women.
“We knocked on the doors of the government and international organisations and told them, ‘Please come and work with us’, and now we are working together,” U Thiha Kyaing said.
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/16793-hiv-support-group-to-mark-10th-anniversary.html
