Date:20/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/20/stories/2008022057580200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Dots and colours come to their aid

Staff Reporter

‘AIDS awareness kolam contest’ held

MADURAI: ‘Kolam’ can serve different purposes. Creating awareness of Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome for one.

Madurai branch of Red Cross Society along with Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Project organised an ‘AIDS awareness kolam competition’ at Avaniapuram recently. It was aimed at disseminating facts about HIV/AIDS among women.

12 topics

The competition was organised under 12 topics,including ‘Structure of HIV virus and white blood corpuscles,’ ‘Structure of antiretroviral tablets,’ ‘Importance of HIV test for pregnant women,’ ‘Use of disposable syringes’ and ‘How white blood corpuscles lose their battle with HIV.’

Twenty nine women from Integrated Child Development Scheme and self-help groups participated in the competition and shared their knowledge of HIV/AIDS with others besides exhibiting their ‘kolam’-drawing skills. As the ‘kolams’ were colourful and self-explanatory, visitors were attracted towards the designs that explained all major facts about the virus, its origin, invasion into human cells and its victory.

V. Velusamy, secretary, Red Cross Society, presided over the function. Revathy, Project Officer, Integrated Child Development Scheme, and K. Kan Sakthi Anand, Project Manager, Tamil Nadu AIDS Control Project, participated.

J.R. Surendran, co-ordinator and counsellor of Red Cross Society, welcomed.