Persons Living with HIV (PLWHIV) recently received a special delivery from the Barbados Postal Service.

Dubbed the "Love Day" campaign, staff members from Post Offices across the island participated in an in-house humanitarian drive in an effort to collect non-perishable items to donate to the HIV/AIDS Food Bank over a two-week period, beginning from February 14 – Valentine’s Day.

The initiative was the brainchild of staff member, Kelly-Ann Knight.?? She attended a workshop on HIV/AIDS where she learned of the challenges faced by the Ministry of Health in maintaining adequate food supplies for families affected by HIV/AIDS.

Ms. Knight said: "The HIV/AIDS epidemic has catastrophic consequences not only for the individuals who have contracted it but also for their families.??

For instance, there is often the scenario in which the head of the household is the one who becomes infected with the virus.?? This results in a decline in the household income – a situation which requires intervention by state agencies such as the Ministry of Health’s HIV/AIDS food programme.

"We could have chosen any other activity to coincide with the massive HIV/AIDS campaigns launched during the month of February.?? However, our staff members are very community-spirited and seeing that there is an inadequacy of food items at the Bank, we thought that we should contribute towards this cause and it proved to be successful."

Seventeen boxes of varying sizes filled with food items and toiletries were collected.?? Postmaster General, Joel Brathwaite, presented the items to Nutritionist and Food Bank Manager of the HIV/AIDS Food Bank, Donna Barker.??

tblackman@barbados.gov.bb

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