National Leadership Forum Orientation in Nepal

Following the launching of APLF activities in Nepal in September 2005, APLF has established a 15 member national level leadership forum comprising of membership from women, media, business and youth leaders and conducted a day long leadership orientation on 9th June 2006. The orientation was attended by a total of 16 national level leaders of different streams including a number of celebrities such as Miss Nepal 2004 and 2006 Ms. Malabika and Sugarika, Super star film actor Rajesh Hamal. The leaders and celebrities unanimously agreed to participate in HIV and AIDS advocacy and social mobilization work. For example Ms. Malabika who conducts a daily TV talk show has promised to bring HIV issues routinely in her talk show, while Ms. Bina Rana, Head-Corporate Affairs Standard Chartered Bank, who has already been implementing HIV work place interventions as SC Bank’s global initiatives, has agreed to make condom available in her workplace. At the end of the session all participants has pictured with Ms. Rai a young HIV positive lady and president of a NGO (Shakti Milan Kendra who organized the whole orientation session) expressing solidarity and continued support to PLHIV, their children and family.