The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan is quite low as 0.1%, however, the vulnerability is high due to the risk factors like injected drug abuse, commercial sex, refugee problem and unsafe blood transfusion. The most vulnerable group has been identified as the adolescents and youth. Young people due to ignorance, despondency marked by poverty or perhaps out of extra high spirit of age indulge in high-risk activities leading to AIDS.

AIDS has no cure, nevertheless, prevention is there to counter the deadly diseases. For prevention, people need information about AIDS. However, AIDS issue has always been hushed up and is marked by a culture of silence. Considering the problem, Dr. Rakhsinda Perveen, Executive Director AGEHI Resource, SACHET developed the idea of DoSTI (Dare to Sensitize, Train, and Inform) for young people to promote awareness about sexually transmitted diseases and the risk factors leading to AIDS.

Our target audience includes adolescents and youth, both male and female. Our direct beneficiaries are families, and peer groups of our direct beneficiaries.

DoSTI is an advocacy project, and the goal is to promote awareness and sensitivity about sexually transmitted diseases. Our IEC strategy to impart knowledge about HIV/AIDS involves the use of print media, electronic media and interpersonal skills. We organize awareness sessions, workshops and seminars in Rawalpindi and Islamabad districts. For urban population, we organize special sessions in schools and colleges and provide information through interactive sessions. For rural audience of our service delivery areas of Shahdra, Banigala, Pinyali, Gagri and Pathargarth, we educate and train peer educators among the villagers, besides arranging mehfils or assemblies in our community development centres. The exclusive feature of mehfils is that the information about HIV/AIDS is transmitted in commonly understood concepts of rural dialects. Using print media we disseminate information through brochures, newsletters, calendar and annual report.

SACHET prepared a Tele-program Gender and AIDS, which went on air in September 2000, and watched all across Pakistan. The programme is being aired abroad as well through Prime Television UK.

SACHET carried on 25 awareness sessions in schools and colleges, and its community development program area. During the sessions, information about HIV/AIDS was provided through slides and videos. SACHET in collaboration with National AIDS Program (National Institute of Health) organized awareness campaign about the deadly epidemic AIDS from November 23, 2000 to November 28, 2002 in connection with world AIDS day, December 1st. SACHET team visited four Men colleges and two villages situated in the vicinities of district Rawalpindi and Islamabad. In keeping with the theme of the World AIDS day "Men make a difference", the campaign focused male involvement. Pre test and posttests were also conducted to assess the level of information. About 25 percent of the population had some information about AIDS before the session, however, there was an increase to 83 percent after wards.

SACHET organized an AIDS poster contest at national level. The aim of the activity was to involve young people in the campaign against AIDS. The activity provided a creative and awareness forum for young people to explore the impact of AIDS on different aspects of national development. Young artists were invited to create posters about hazards and impact of the epidemic in relation to various socio-cultural factors. Adolescent groups with a mean age of 15 participated in the contest. Winners were awarded with the SACHET Certificate of Achievement in a special ceremony on the 1st of December 2001.

SACHET calendar 2002 is the outcome of the award winning drawings of national "AIDS Poster Competition".

The aim of the survey activity was to assess the level of information the employees have as their exposure to DoSTI activities. The survey began in April 2002 and completed in June 2002. The head office employees comprising a number of 24 were selected for research. The findings suggested that 18 of the 24 respondents were knowledgeable. Our female staff exhibited higher level of knowledge than the male staff. This was taking a gender perspective, we may proclaim that SACHET females are more knowledgeable than their male counterparts. The gaps of knowledge as represented by a small number of employees are alarming and impel improvement towards comprehensibility of information.

SACHET organized an CSO fair on July 10, 2002. About 40 non-government and welfare organizations participated in the event. The aim of the activity was to exhibit the information resource of various organizations and locate the venues of mutual concerns. SACHET stall displayed information material about HIV/AIDS and DoSTI project.

Evaluation of DoSTI Project: DOSTI Conducted a microsurvey among its employees as part of an internal evaluation of DOSTI project. A volume of 2000 Calendars was sent to various organizations and resource centers.