09 July 2002

Bonn, Germany: Inma Mendoza and her husband Miguel Goyanes are HIV positive. They now devote their lives to support people who are infected by the epidemic, like themselves.

In 1997 they moved from Spain to the Dominican Republic to take time out to reflect about their lives. They were devastated by the lack of effective response to help those infected by HIV to take charge of their lives and were deeply disturbed about the growing number of people dying around.

In the Dominican Republic Inma and Miguel were faced with the much harsher realities of people living with HIV/AIDS experience in the developing world in terms of psycho-social support and medical possibilities. Instead of returning to Spain, they stayed in the Dominican Republic and established the "Grupo Clara" a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with the aim to increase public knowledge about HIV/AIDS and to improve the quality of life of HIV positive people in the Dominican Republic's Puerto Plata province - a favourite holiday spot for tourists.

Inma and Miguel started the "Grupo Clara" with no more than a telephone, a desk and a computer provided by the Centre for prevention and human solidarity, Centro de Prevencion y Solidaridad Humana (CEPROSH). The volunteer members of Grupo Clara visited AIDS patients in hospitals and health centres of Puerto Plata, established the first self-support group and developed pilot training and counselling programmes. That was the time when Inma and Miguel learnt about the United Nations Volunteer programme (UNV) and joined shortly afterwards- devoting their time and commitment to containing the epidemic. They are part of a major UNV programme containing HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean. The programme aims at involving local communities to support those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.

Currently Grupo Clara offers a variety of services to people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. More than 700 patients treated in Puerto Plata's health structures have come to appreciate the NGO - a group of volunteers coordinated by Inma who do pre- and post-HIV/AIDS-test counselling at the Ricardo Limardo hospital. Currently, Grupo Clara provides counselling services to an average of 60 HIV/AIDS infected or affected people at any given time.

Inma and Miguel have become experts at mobilizing and motivating the local communities in Puerto Plata to support people living with HIV/AIDS. Thus, Grupo Clara, formerly a small self-help group, has developed into a well-respected partner to health institutions, politicians, civil society organizations, the media and tourism companies.

Inma and Miguel are determined to support those who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS for the rest of their lives - by giving a voice and. giving a voice and a face to HIV/AIDS. They firmly believe and demonstrate that PLWHA are not the problem but an important part of the solution to HIV/AIDS.