AEGiS-IFRC: Red Crescent AIDS campaign targets barbershops and beauty parlours in Kabul

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Red Crescent AIDS campaign targets barbershops and beauty parlours in Kabul

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - October 16, 2006
Alim Atarud of the International Federation's delegation in Kabul

In an effort to raise public awareness about HIV transmission, youth volunteers from the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) recently launched a campaign targeting beauty parlour and barbershop owners and customers in the capital of Kabul.

The campaign was entitled "Let's be aware of HIV/AIDS" and involved more than 50 young ARCS volunteers, who spoke to shop keepers and clients, hung posters around the city and handed out leaflets on preventing the spread of HIV through infected shaving blades.

The youth volunteers emphasised the need for barbers to use new blades for each shaving and to wash their tools with antiseptic liquid after each use. At the end of the awareness programme, all 20 barber shops and 16 beauty parlours involved in the campaign were provided with antiseptic materials.

"I have to thank the Red Crescent youth volunteers, who helped me get more information about the HIV virus and the possible ways of its transmission," said Mr. Bashri, who owns a barber shop in Kabul. He added that the volunteers should continue their efforts and expand their campaign outside of Kabul to include local provinces.

"Everybody should be aware of how the virus is transmitted and have some knowledge of how to prevent AIDS from spreading," he said. The awareness messages were well-received by local shopkeepers, and the campaign was given widespread local media coverage through television broadcasts and newspapers.

The ARCS HIV and AIDS programme was recently established with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The National Society is currently working to develop a memorandum of understanding with the Afghan Ministry of Education, which would enable the Red Crescent to reach out to 9,000 students through its awareness programme in 2007.

"As youth volunteers, we need to help communities learn more about the disease and its possible ways of transmission," said Ms Huma, an ARCS youth volunteer.

The Afghan Red Crescent has more than 20,000 youth volunteers, like Ms Huma, supporting different welfare and community development programmes throughout rural and urban areas of the country.

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