The Post on the small island of Curaçao, part of the Netherlands Antilles, is getting people to talk about HIV prevention.
The Post is the latest to join the HIV prevention campaign being promoted by the Universal Postal Union, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the International Labour Organization and UNI Global Union.
The campaign is being tied to another campaign called Talk Red. Talk Red is the island’s own health campaign to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention.
Each month since January, a different local company takes the lead in promoting HIV/AIDS prevention. September is Nieuwe Post’s turn. When its international relations officer, Dioleshka Kuwas, recently got an information pack from the UPU and its partners asking the Post to join their global campaign, she saw a perfect fit.
“The island’s health authorities believe that local companies can provide good outreach by promoting HIV prevention among employees and customers,” explains Kuwas. “The UPU’s global campaign fits perfectly with our local campaign, so when we were asked to host Talk Red in September, we decided to tie the two.”
Red everywhere
To draw the public’s attention, post offices have been decorated in red, says Kuwas, and HIV prevention posters in English and the local language, Papiamentu, have gone up in the island’s five post offices. Saint Martin’s two post offices will also join the campaign, but their launch was delayed when the Caribbean island was recently hit by Hurricane Earl.
An estimated 200,000 people live on both islands. Kuwas is confident the campaign will reach many people. “Our postmen are in every neighbourhood, our postal vehicles will promote the campaign, and our focal points at post offices will give out information on HIV prevention.”
The Post has an entire programme of activities planned for September. Every Friday, letter carriers and retail staff will wear the Talk Red campaign t-shirt, and customers and school children will be invited to the post office for short seminars on HIV prevention. All employees will also wear a button indicating their support for AIDS prevention.