Samraksha is a rural development organization in Karnataka, India that has worked for 17 years on HIV prevention and care programs. They operate in districts with high poverty, low literacy, and poor health access. Their key challenge is that the scale and speed of the HIV epidemic is greater than the response. Their key strategy is to release social capital by bringing people together through community conversations and activities to discuss issues, share experiences, and facilitate learning. This leads to community-led action and innovation like creating support systems for those affected by HIV, increasing open discussion of sexuality and HIV, and using art, dance, and other media to address stigma and spread awareness. Samraksha's experience shows that recognizing everyone's unique insights and promoting

1. Samraksha Some Experiences from India SanghamitraIyengar Panel: Global Learning Experience SECOND SEMINAR OF REDE VIVO EDUCAÇÃO THE NETWORK SOCIETY AND THE EDUCATION Sao Paulo, 16 Sept 2010

3. North Karnataka, South India

4. 17 years in HIV related programmes

5. HIV prevention and Care

7. Key Challenge: The scale and speed of the epidemic > that of the response Key Strategy: Releasing Social Capital Key Advantage: Understanding the catalyst of change : Social Connectivity

8. The process of learning/change Information knowledge practice/ action  learning/change Social Connectivity speeds up the process Personalisation of Context Social Connectivity Aspiration Trust Inspiration

9. The process of learning/change Information knowledge practice/ action  learning/change Personalisation of Context makes the process flow to learning and change All interventions stop at information or knowledge Social Connectivity

11. First meeting of leaders

12. Community Contribution: hospitality and volunteers

13. Series of community conversations

14. Facilitated by games, exercises

16. Creating Community spaces for reflection

18. Women go to a neighbouring village to share their strategy for keeping themselves and their partners safe

19. Volunteers take a street play to the community Post play discussions include personal experience sharing on key actions like testing, handling stigma and treatment

20. Yet others use a comic script

21. Artistes in the community script and enact a classical ballet to share their message

22. Initiating a discussion on HIV risk and vulnerability through a snake and ladder : young boys share their insights

23. Innovation: The Village Doctor speaks on HIV related care

24. Innovation: using recorders!!

25. Others use puppets to tell their story

26. Some of the youth use posters

27. Using a peep show technique to talk about sexually transmitted infections

28. Innovation thrives: A street comedy show using magic

29. Young people have used the mobile phone in many ways: sending key messages through SMS to all in their address book. Sometimes making chain calls

30. How did this happen? Three key processes Facilitating discussions and reflections in village communities Self assessment process Inspiration fairs All 3 promoted connections between people at intellectual and emotional level

33. Every human being has insights to share based on his/ her unique lived experience This continuous process leads to a creative society able to respond to its problems

34. www.samraksha.orgwww.samrakshainspirations.wordpress.comhttp://aidscompetence.ning.com/profiles/blog/list(community life competence) sanghamitra.iyengar@gmail.com

35. Obrigado!