This summer, I had an incredible experience and pleasure of working with Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) in creating a HIV Prevention Sustainability Plan for migrant workers. The ultimate goal of my project was the reduce the prevalence of HIV among migrant workers in Mysore, India. Due to increasing globalization and industrialization in India, the demand for construction workers has increased, thus also increasing the population of job-seeking migrant workers from rural to urban areas. However, due to their migration status and often low levels of education contributing to unsafe sex practices, migrant workers also serve as the bridge population of HIV between sex workers and the rest of the population.
Thus, the TI-Migrant Project at SVYM is dedicated to reducing HIV prevalence and increasing HIV awareness among migrant workers in Mysore. My task during my time working on the TI-Migrant Project was to first create a survey tool evaluating the impact of the HIV intervention through interviews and focus group sessions with the migrant workers during field visits. Then, through analyzing the survey data, and comparing the TI-Migrant Project to other HIV prevention interventions in India, I created a sustainability plan to promote HIV prevention behaviors among the migrant workers.
This project has been incredibly meaningful to me and I am extremely proud to have been able to be a part of a team towards the ultimate goal of making the world a healthier place.
-Rui
