When we began consulting in 2009, we had little idea of what Grassrooted would evolve into – we knew that HIV would remain our focus always, but that we had to include a broader Sexual and Reproductive Health approach, including Rights, if  we were to have any impact in Sri Lanka, with its low HIV prevalence and near invisible community.

Our consulting business model was simple: work for those who can afford to pay us, and also work for those who can’t, pro bono.  It worked up to a point… soon we were so busy working for those who pay us that we had little time to focus on those who really needed our support. In addition, we were forced to dance to tunes that we did not enjoy dancing to, and we love to dance. Our core approach to HIV – one of absolute community empowerment – has proved not too popular. Apparently Sri Lanka  and its people living with HIV is not ready for anything TOO positive when it comes to HIV.

Today’s report on the alleged court room scare underscores the many miles we have to yet travel. Also today, we were sent this flyer by the Consortium for Humanitarian Agencies (CHA) in Sri Lanka. I wonder if there are no agencies working on HIV in this consortium, and if there are, why have they not sensitized their mother ship CHA on HIV in the 21st century? Their magnanimous offer of a free programme on AIDS and psychiatric disorders is fascinating, and we will attend, even if it is to merely understand what role exactly the featured foreign family have to play in the two hour discourse.

And so, after a year of conducting research and programmes that do not really inspire us, we feel it is best to move away from consultancy as our bread and butter, and move towards programming that would allow us to work directly with the most  forgotten group in Sri Lanka in relation to the national HIV response – people living with HIV.  Our plan is to build a HIV unit that will work on 4 key areas -

1. Strengthening existing systems for HIV positive networks

2. Strengthen care and support initiatives.

3. Identify viable forms of income generation so that the community is not dependent on hand outs.

4. Raise awareness across all sectors in Sri Lanka – not just on HIV prevention, but also in terms of the support required for people to live their lives with dignity and justice, regardless of their HIV status.

In addition, Grassrooted will help set up a network of people who use drugs in Sri Lanka. We have observed that almost every community has representation in our country, except people who use drugs. Of course, we are the most vilified of all key affected populations. Moreover, the all too common misconception is that a person who uses drugs is no position to contribute to how programmes and interventions should be conducted. This is about to change.

The road ahead will not be easy, in fact, it about to become extremely difficult, but the time is now. We are ready. Bring on the end of the world as we know it.

The Grassrooted Team

ps. Coming in December 2012 is our end of the world gathering… watch this space.