Behavior Change cannot be achieved with support from NGO and communities only, but with people living with HIV/AIDS themselves really did it by supporting the community to prevent the prevalence of the epidemics, by showing their effort to survive and to fight against the deadly virus.

Lam Vinh D., 42, takes a cigarette from me, smokes in a hurry. HEe puts it out in an ashtray and continues to tell me that smoking is bad for your health particulary for those who are H+. Lam Vihn D. looks as he is in his mid 30s, smiling waiting and telling me his story of surviving with H+, a common phrase referring to people living with HIV, without waiting for my questions.

D had never figured out when he get H, but remembered the deadly moment that the group of his friends sharing the cylinder soaking in to small cup of water mixing with their blood as they were injecting drug into their vein. “It was horrible that five or six of us sharing a big glass cylinder at that time, we did not have small plastic ones like today, that each of us can use individually”. D. will never remember when he get H, but clearly know how that H+ transferred to his body. Â

D. now is a member of The Blue Dream group, that has 45 people living with HIV, who are fighting against HIV/AIDS with their campaigns and activities among the community in Van Don district, Quang Ninh province. Sixty eight members with different situations, some are couple with their children, contribute their efforts to support each other and prevent the spreading of H among the community. With 6 core members, the group gather for a general meeting every month to share information, internal training on HIV/AIDS and prepare for education campaign for community.

Living with H+, no one is able to speak out that he is happy and lucky but Lam Vinh D expresses it without reluctance as if he is not an H+ infected person. “I am happy that my life changes now, I have my job, and I have to work for my daughter”, insisting he is lucky that he had not transmitted the virus to his wife and daughter, that he still have “the sunrise to wait for, though the dark is waiting for him ahead”.

But it is not everyone has a bright sight of life like Lam Vinh D, there are plenty of H+ people transmitted the deadly virus to their family members and their children as well. A 2009 Ministry of Health’s report quote by UNAIDS estimated the number of children living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam in 2010 will be 5,100 and 5,670 respectively in 2012. There’re more victims to suffer, therefore, there more jobs to do for the Blue Dream group for the community.

“I drank 20 bottles of beer on the day I got the positive result from Cam Pha hospital, slept in a hidden corner of Quan Lan island, wishing that I would die immediately”, says D., citing his first emotion when realizing HIV+ with him. “Years ago, no one want to see you as you are an H person, but now, you see, I am treated well enough in this village”, said Lam Vinh D.

D. would not imagine that people living with H+ like him would have a bright path to continue his life. But now, he is among a construction workers team in Quan Lan island with plenty of job offered all year around. Busy with his construction work for saving money for his family, busier with the community works to giving guidance, to cooperate with the other groups in the region, but Lam Vinh D. is satisfied with what he is pursuing. “Future, and only a bright future for my daughter, for my family, they must be happier than me”, assured D.

Phan Lam