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Olam International, a London-based
global agribusiness, partnered with nongovernmental organizations on World AIDS
Day to offer HIV testing, a new element of Olam’s ongoing HIV/AIDS prevention
efforts in Africa.
Olam has a presence in 28 African
countries, where the company works with small-scale farmers and operates food
processing units in rural areas. Using its extensive network of farmers and
employees, Olam and its NGO partners reached 234,000 people in Africa with
HIV/AIDS awareness messages this year. In addition, Olam collaborated with
USAIDS, the German NGO GIZ, and other NGOs in 2012 to offer HIV screening to
people in the Olam network.
Chris Brett, senior vice-president
of Olam International, stated that the company will “go forward” with
counseling and supplying anti-retroviral drugs as people learn their status.
The Olam interventions align with the World AIDS Day strategy of “getting to
zero” new HIV infections, AIDS deaths, and discrimination against HIV-infected
persons. Through Olam’s initiatives, healthcare and agriculture are linked in
preventing HIV and helping HIV-infected persons, said Brett.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
