Corporación Kimirina

Kimirina works with a wide range of grassroots organisations in Ecuador that support people living with HIV and AIDS and educate communities about preventing and controlling HIV. As well as offering financial support to these organisations, Kimirina works closely with them to develop their capacity and ensure their sustainability. The corporation promotes a holistic approach to HIV and AIDS that takes into account human rights, gender equality and self esteem.

In recent years Kimirina has focused on work with sex workers, men who have sex with men and women living with HIV.  However the organisation continues to reach out to other key groups in rural and urban areas that have previously been isolated and lacking in support.
 
Kimirina also lobbies the Ecuadorian Government at a national and local level for a broader, more holistic response to HIV and AIDS. The organisation has been the main Ecuadorian partner for the International HIV Alliance [http://www.aidsalliance.org/] for many years and has received support from the Global Fund for HIV and AIDS for activities relating to HIV and AIDS prevention.

Progressio and Corporación Kimirina

'My project focuses on generating support for women living with HIV and AIDS through voluntary work involving all those willing to get involved, including men.

'Ecuadorian women living with HIV and AIDS have little knowledge of their bodies and how they became infected. Many have suffered domestic violence and discrimination from their families, friends and health professionals.

'The number of women living with HIV is on the increase in Ecuador and many of them are pregnant teenagers. However, it is very difficult for women to find support because their role in the family is to be the carer and the one in charge of maintaining the health of the family.'

Ana Teresa Rodriguez is working with Kimirina to set up and strengthen training programmes for volunteers supporting people that live with HIV and AIDS. These programmes focus on enabling volunteers to provide home care, emotional support, health advice and advocacy to the people they support. Through their work the volunteers aim to empower people living with the disease to assert their right to quality health services and to tackle the stigma and discrimination they face. 

Although Ana Teresa works with both men and women, her project has a strong focus on educating and empowering women who live with HIV and AIDs. Moreover where possible the project aims to include the family, partners and friends of people living with the disease, so that they can offer emotional support, campaign with them for their rights and raise awareness among communities of the issues faced.
 
Ana Teresa works in three cities - Quito, Portoviejo and Santo Domingo. As well as training volunteers and running capacity building workshops for women, she also provides training for health professionals in hospitals.

Find out more about Kimirina (In Spanish, opens in a new window)

Read about other HIV AIDS projects supported by Progressio