Helping hands
Image: (PHOTO: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)
WHEN Sasha moved to Australia she knew that she wanted to help raise awareness around HIV. Growing up in Zimbabwe, she understood the importance of helping out.
鈥淚 grew up with people who were living with HIV and I find it very meaningful when people try to help them,鈥� she told the Star Observer.
[showads聽ad=MREC]That鈥檚 why two years ago Sasha Tinnoe began volunteering with the Ending HIV Red Ribbon Appeal, where she met a lot of new people and actively put out a helping hand to support HIV awareness and fundraising.
鈥淚鈥檝e become this person who wants to know more about HIV, along with volunteering,鈥� she said.
鈥淭o help other people you need to know about the cause and not discriminate against anyone.鈥�
The Ending HIV Red Ribbon Appeal is an annual fundraising event that raises money for community initiatives that are working towards eliminating the transmission of HIV by 2020.
The Appeal is run by ACON (formerly AIDS Council of NSW), a NSW organisation specialising in HIV prevention, care, and support.
Tinnoe said through volunteering she has met some inspiring people who were working to eradicate HIV and reducing the stigma and lack of knowledge surrounding it.
鈥淭here is a woman that I met through the Appeal who鈥檚 living with HIV, and just looking at her gives me this passion,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 met her only last year and I look up to her.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to volunteer because you get the experience, and you get to understand it… it won鈥檛 just be HIV in a bracket, you actually broaden out and learn a lot about it.鈥�
The Red Ribbon Appeal is run as part of World AIDS Day, a day that helps to mark both the advances made in the fields of HIV prevention and research, and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.
ACON chief executive Nicolas Parkhill said the Appeal was significant for both ACON and the wider LGBTI community.
鈥淥ver the past 30 years HIV has had a huge impact on our community,鈥� he told the Star Observer.
鈥淥n World AIDS Day we聽remember the thousands of Australians who have died from an AIDS-related illness and celebrate the courage and determination of people with HIV.
鈥淭he money we raise through the聽Ending HIV聽Red聽Ribbon聽Appeal is vital to the work of ACON as it helps us run programs and services that are essential to ending the HIV epidemic in NSW by 2020.鈥�
Troy Longworth has been volunteering for the Appeal on and off for the past decade, and last year he met a fellow volunteer whose story struck him as particularly inspiring.
鈥淭here was a straight guy that was a big league coach selling red ribbons and I was really surprised,鈥� he told the Star Observer.
鈥淗e told me he had a gay guy on his football team who came out to him and because of that, his perception of gay guys changed and he decided he wanted to contribute to the LGBTI community.
鈥淚f you had鈥檝e spoken to him two years ago he would鈥檝e been quite negative towards the community.鈥�
Longworth believes volunteering for an event like the Ending HIV Red Ribbon Appeal is a great way to support a worthwhile cause.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really practical way you can help fight HIV/AIDS and it鈥檚 a way to get involved,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something that鈥檚 helping to raise awareness and money to prevent HIV, and you get to meet fun people you wouldn鈥檛 normally meet.鈥�
The Ending HIV Red Ribbon Street Appeal takes place across NSW on November 30 and December 1, to coincide with World AIDS Day. To volunteer, visit
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**This article was first published in the of the Star Observer, which is available now. to find out where you can grab a copy in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and select regional/coastal areas.聽
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