WUP and DISHA 2012 Year in Review

For DISHA and Wake Up Pune, 2012 has been a very successful year. Throughout all of our services, events, presentations, and work this year it is estimated that we have reached over 1 lakh people in Pune. We have aimed to expand our scope in terms of what types of events we do and what demographics we reach. From our matrimonial event, Melava, in August; to doing our HIV Boot camp and seminars at various colleges and foundations; to quiz and henna competitions, we have made it an eventful and productive year. Some of our most major and what we consider our most successful events include Melava, the World Aids Day fortnight, and our events with the Blind School in Ramtekedi. At Melava 20 couples were married and many others found it a positive experience either in finding friends or potential partners. For the World Aids Day fortnight, DISHA and Wake Up Pune had over 14 events including but not limited to: boot camps at colleges and foundations, competitions, testing days, street plays and rallies.  Our events with the blind school included our Light Up Pune event and the printing of the first brail pamphlets in India. We consider it a great success that more people in 2012 took the initiative to get tested than ever before. This proves to us that our message of having an HIV “positive” mindset is spreading effectively throughout the public. As a whole, DISHA and Wake Up Pune want our work and the public to be HIV “positive” in four ways: raising awareness, supporting people with HIV, educating the public, and promoting others to tested. Judging by these four pillars, this year has been greatly successful!