Health Stories

There have been many success stories through ARDS education bringing about liberation of knowledge and effective solutions to many of the difficult health situations encountered within the Aboriginal community..

HIV/AIDS story
as told by field educator Naomi Havens

"I was moved by the response of one woman who is currently employed in a program to provide education to women in her community. I pointed to a poster on the wall that she was familiar with. I asked her what she knew about it – she read ‘HIV/AIDS’ and viewed the picture of a couple holding hands walking along a beach.

She said she did not know what the poster was about.

“Maybe a sickness?” she said.

We spent hours discussing the action of the HIV virus, the development into AIDS and the medication that can only slow down the course of the virus, but not eliminate it. She began to weep, and told me the names and ages of her children and grandchildren. She said that she comes to work every day, knowing there is a great need for health education, but not feeling equipped or trained to meet that need. We ran a session together about HIV/AIDS for some girls, with plans for me to return to that community so we can have further discussions with their families.

The question being asked now is “how will people with HIV be managed in their communities?”