AIDS Ambassador receives prestigious award
March 29, 2010
PIAF AIDS Ambassador, Irene John, was amongst a group of only 34 people worldwide to recently receive a certificate of recognition from the U.S Peace Corps.
On presenting the awards, Peace Corps Director of Vanuatu, Mr. Eddie Stice said, "Real heroes are not the ones we see in the movies, it’s those who rise above everything they go through to make a change.” “Irene’s energy and understanding are exemplary.”
Irene was a nurse for 17 years before resigning in 2002 after the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu publicly declared her HIV positive.As the first Ni-Vanuatu person to have their HIV status made public, Irene suffered gross discrimination.
Refusing to be victimised, Irene has since became a powerful advocate for the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS and, as an AIDS Ambassador, has influenced many in her public speaking roles. Between January and June of 2009 Irene conducted 45 public speaking sessions across the Vanuatu Islands and reached over 6,000 individuals.
As a mother of four (one of whom is HIV positive), and a public speaker and educator, Irene shines a light into the darkness of stigma and discrimination and forges a path for other positive Pacific Islanders. On receiving her award she said, “I never expected to get this, but this has given me the courage to move on.... I love my people, I love my country and I sincerely want to do the best I can for them.”
