Fear of communicating with an HIV+ person.
Fear of telling others about your HIV+ status.
Fear of getting tested for HIV.
Fear of the virus makes it invisible, but ignoring the problem does not lead to nowhere but to a dead end. As the HIV epidemic becomes more widespread, it attracts even less attention, pushing us further and further away from overcoming the problem. That’s why this year, on World AIDS Day, we decided to remind about the virus by making it visible!
The #invisible campaign
One of the main ways to overcome the HIV epidemic is to know your status. However, for many people, any thought of the virus causes severe anxiety, as there are many myths and fears surrounding testing.
Together with Ukrainian celebrities, influencers, and organizations, we decided to show that getting tested is not scary and important in the #invisible information campaign! Our initiative was supported by singer Vera Brezhneva, host Nikita Dobrynin, and bloggers Nastya Veganka and Zhdanya. We are grateful to the Pomitni label, UNICEF Ukraine, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for joining the campaign!
In addition, together with the Pubertat social project, we debunked the most popular myths that prevent most people from getting tested.
It is normal to worry about HIV, and the most effective way to relieve anxiety is to find out your status!
Discrimination
Stigma and rejection is something that people living with HIV often face. Many decide not to tell anyone about their status because society is still not ready to accept them. But there are also those who talk about it openly.
Together with UNFPA, Yegor, and Lisa, HIV+ activists from Teenergizer, openly shared their stories and vision of the problem of discrimination and access to treatment in Ukraine. Also on Teenergizer’s Instagram, Lisa answered teenagers’ questions about her life with HIV!
Since 2010, the number of people infected with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia has increased by 49%, and with the beginning of the full-scale invasion, this figure, unfortunately, is only growing.
At Teenergizer, we have been drawing attention to HIV-related issues for many years. We believe that the way to overcome the problem, which will lead us out of the maze, lies in informing. On this important day, we fought not only against the virus but also against ignorance, and this year was no exception!
