HIV training for Burmese migrant workers in Thailand

Burmese migrant workers in Thailand will soon be able to spread the HIV/AIDS awareness message among their peers thanks to a series of education workshops.

Run by ITF-Thai’s women’s committee, in collaboration with the Seafarers’ Union of Burma and local non-governmental organisation the Raks-Thai Foundation, the first of the workshops took place on 27 February in a hospital meeting room in Mahachai, in Samut Sakorn province; some 30 people took part.

The workshops aim to build the skills and knowledge of Burmese activists so that they can pass on information to their fellow Burmese migrant workers, many of whom work in the fishing industry. As trained peer educators, the activists will be able to create a better understanding of HIV and safer sex and refer workers to the Raks Thai Foundation’s clinics.

Asif Altaf, ITF HIV/AIDS coordinator, said: “In Thailand, migrant fishers from Burma, like those from other countries are largely undocumented. This means that most of them do not have access to proper health care and HIV/AIDS prevention and support programmes.

“If Burmese migrant workers’ leaders are to be involved in solving the HIV/AIDS problem, they need to have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the issue as well as communication skills. That’s what we aim to provide through this series of jointly run workshops.”

Further training workshops will be held at the same venue every three months.