LATEST AIDS NEWS YOU CAN HELP US

We are a group of about 50 volunteers working to prevent HIV/AIDS among gay and bisexual men in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. We are happy to have this opportunity to introduce ourselves to you. Because there is considerable gay discrimination in Vietnam and because groups like ours are not considered legal, we work very quietly. Our friends abroad publish this Internet information for us, and act as our "Ambassadors" to the outside world. They also provide moral, technical and organizational support, carry information and materials, and raise money. Our most important work is AIDS prevention and education among men who have sex with men ("MSM"), which includes many, many bisexuals.Homosexuals here are socially and politically invisible. Most foreign non-government organizations here include AIDS with womens health programs. Although AIDS is still a small problem among Vietnam's gays and can be stopped completely, foreign sex tourism is on the rise. Many visitors leave behind everything they know about safe sex when they come to Viet Nam. Unfortunately, we have learned that one third of Vietnamese men who have sex with foreigners do not use a condom, and may have never used a condom before. The Vietnamese government has few resources, which leaves the responsibility to a grassroots organization like ours. Free condom distribution in Vietnam is still rare, and we have pioneered this work among MSM. Condoms are distributed in many public places (including coffee houses, karaoke clubs, swimming pools and brothels) where men meet other men for sex. Volunteer teams cruise the "dark streets" at night, to distribute condoms and our simple safe sex leaflets to men looking for sex. We could give away 5000 a week if we had them. Usually we have none. If you like what we are doing there are ways you can help. We are grateful for tax-deductible financial gifts in any amount. In additional to nominal operating expenses, our group badly needs $2000 to buy its own motorbike. We also need money for rent, for condoms, and for printing safe sex information. Eventually, we plan to have a small business so that we can be completely self-reliant and also offer job opportunities to members of our community. Benefactor, group and corporate donations are also welcome, and you can tell us in advance how your gift is to be spent.