About: Red Ribbon Club

RED RIBBON CLUB                                                                   

Red Ribbon Club is a movement started by the Government of India in schools and colleges through which students will spread awareness over HIV / AIDS. It envisages installing a charitable mindset among all the students to extend their able help towards developing healthy lifestyles, donating blood to all the needy by promotion of Regular voluntary blood donation. The red ribbon is a symbol for both drug prevention and the fight against AIDS. The purpose is the education about prevention of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV, Acquired Deficiency Syndrome Related Complex, ARC and AIDS. 

The Red Ribbon Club of Government Degree College Matour (Kangra) aims at achieving the Club’s objectives which are: 

1. To instil life skills into youths to live better and healthier lives.
2. To promote voluntary non-remunerated blood donation among youth.
3. Promote regular voluntary blood donation by young people and increase access to safe and adequate quantities of blood.
4. Organize and facilitate voluntary blood donation camps and mobilize the youth for voluntary blood donation.
5. Create among the youth a cadre of peer educators for seeking and encouraging positive health behaviour as well as ensuring the sustainability of the club
6. Educate youth with correct, concise and adequate information and heighten their level of awareness about HIV/AIDS/STI/sexuality and other related issues (thus eliminate myths and misconceptions).
7. Enable youth, especially female students, to identify and understand situations of exploitation and abuse.
8. Sensitize the youth regarding the care and support needs of PLWHA and instil in them the spirit of helping and supporting the people living with HIV & AIDS (PLWHA) and reduce the stigma and discrimination against them.
9. Increase youths’ access to health care services related to STI / HIV/AIDS/drug use.

10.Create linkages between youth and governmental, non – governmental agencies and CBOs to access safer and responsible healthy behaviour.

RED RIBBON CLUB GUIDELINES 

The significance of the Red Ribbon in HIV / AIDS is: 

1. Red like Love, as a symbol of passion and tolerance for those, affected.
2. Red like blood, representing the pain caused by many people who have AIDS. 
3. Red like the anger about the helplessness about which we are facing a disease for which there is still no cure.
4. Red is a sign of warning not to carelessly ignore one of the biggest problems of our time.

Goal 

To reduce the occurrence of new sexually transmitted infections (incidence), particularly HIV, among youth. 

Objectives 

1. To increase awareness on sexual reproductive health and HIV/AIDS 
2. To impart skills in communication, self-protection, negotiation, and effective group interaction 
3. To prepare youth as peer educators/agents of change by developing their skills in leadership and team building. 
4. To encourage blood donations 
5. To serve as forums for students to participate in the fight against HIV/AIDS

Red Ribbon Club Coordinator: Mr Ajay Kumar