Weary, dust-covered, aged beyond his years, Ranjit Singh, 47, has been on the highways for the last 28 years, traveled over five lakh km. A regular sight on the highways, Ranjit has become a regular sight on the highways, Ranjit has become a symbol of speed and mobility. Hi is married with three children. His job does not allow him regular time with the family. He is away for 15-20 days in a month. He carries the scars of his humanity. He limps, walks with draggy slow steps. He is on STD treatment.
He pulls up his truck in front of Subhas’s dhaba. “Areh Bhai…Aiye aiye” welcomes Subhas. Cooling, friendly words for a tired nerve! Subhas offers a glass of water and while attending to his tired friend quickly enquires about his health. He barks out a food order to his dhaba attendant, gets ready a small packet. There is no time for formalities. There is no time for formalities. Ranjit will be on the move within a few minutes. The food is served. Over the meal, Subhas and Ranjit spend a small time talking. Ranjit pays for his meal and walks back to his truck with the small packet (condoms, a tube of ointment, a few tablets for fever.)
Subhas is a Volunteer Peer Educator. He has just made the maximum utility of the little time that Ranjit could snatch from his long journey. The Dhabas are an OASIS in the desert of dreary, dusty, hassle filled highway journeys for a trucker.
In an age marked by risks of HIV infection, Peer Volunteers are life-saving boats in a dangerous sea of unknown humanity. Peers are there on the spot, at the dot, to offer a timely safe education. They do not leave the work, they do not leave other customers, but they are there with a heart full of concern to prevent any risk of HIV infection among their customers, especially for the vulnerable mobile population.
NEDHIV has several such volunteers along the highways, at the halting points in Dimapur, at the Dhabas, at the Pan shops, at the garages, at the Petrol pumps, and at the booze joints. The Peers are important partners in the mission to prevent HIV and are “difference makers” in the work. Peer Educators are “friends of the same flock” who, seeing a need-situation, agree to contribute their time to do something about that “situation”. It is a non-professional means of education at a small cost, where culturally sensitive messages are delivered. Being culturally sensitive, the Peers are effective agents of education.
Peer Volunteers provide great services at a small cost, break barriers to discuss sensitive issues without fear, are confidants of their clients, give effective messages informally to a specific target group, less time consuming, they are just on the spot to meet a mobile trucker, to capture a speeding moment in a trucker’s life to pass a sensitive message.
Peer Educators are partners in the mission of HIV prevention along with the parent NGO and are trained to provide:
• Education on basic facts of HIV/AIDS
• Education on safer sex practices,
• Education on condom usage,
• Identify the STD patients and motivate and refer for early and complete treatment,
• Distribute IEC materials,
• Support condom promotion activities,
• Identify new peer educators.
• Help to organize BCC events,
• Exhibition, slide shows and cultural program.
The Peer Volunteers are identifies, motivated, recruited and trained for a mission. The NGO follows with motivation, refresher trainings, supervises and monitors them. NEDHIV has linked Volunteer Peer Educators with sustainability and continuity of HIV prevention.
What is precious is the “spirit of volunteerism”. For no pay for no honor, for no display but just for the love of a fellow being, individuals accept to be volunteers to give time and service for HIV prevention.
Yashimenla Lemtur,
Co-ordinator, Targeted
Intervention on Truckers,
North Eastern Drug & HIV
Training Center (NEDHIV)
