Piyoo Kochar

HIV / AIDS - India (South Asia)

As a public health graduate, Piyoo believes sensitive and efficient health management will help improve the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Working within the public health system in India “gave me insight into the needs and issues that ail my community” and gave Piyoo the opportunity to work with families affected by HIV/AIDS. Now she wants to teach Indian youth about practising safe sexual behaviour: “My idea is to bring about a change in the behaviour of youth who think ‘This will not happen to me!’ and bring sensitivity and care into supporting infected youth.”

Through educating youth, Piyoo hopes the stigma and social diffidence associated with HIV/AIDS can be destroyed. Using her university’s campus, Piyoo plans to coordinate a grassroots youth forum where HIV/AIDS and issues of sexual health can be aired freely. At Oxfam International Youth Parliament 2004, Piyoo hopes to learn by sharing. “I want to be a part of the interesting work that is going on around the world.”

“We have started a group for young women, …, on issues of sexual expression and things women want to talk about issues that they have not asked before, or have incomplete information on. The group is at a rather nascent stage at the moment.. but its generating discussion and is attracting participation..”