The nonprofit organization celebrates the launch of new community centers, initatives, and partnerships in line with HIV awareness and prevention.
There’s no better way to celebrate World AIDS Day (which takes place on December 1, 2021) than to welcome even more initiatives for sexual health and HIV awareness.
Community-based nonprofit organization LoveYourself Inc. recently shared to media guests and the public the great strides that they have accomplished in 2021, as well as the upcoming developments for the organization.
LoveYourself recently presented new community centers and clinics that will join its existing roster: Anglo in Mandaluyong, Welcome in Manila, Victoria in Pasay, Lily in Parañaque, Hero in Bacoor, and White House in Cebu. The new community centers include Athena by LoveYourself in North Caloocan and Bagani by LoveYourself in Bacolod City. The two new clinics, Luxecare Starmall EDSA-Shaw and Luxecare Alabang, now offer premium HIV care. All four facilities are now operational.
Photo: LoveYourself
Up and coming community centers are set to open in Baguio and for the Home for the Golden Gays, which are expected to be finished by the first quarter of 2022.
LoveYourself also shared the adaptive measures that they have employed to continue providing services amid the pandemic, shifting all its regular operations online from testing to treatment.
Currently, all clients may set an appointment online through Booking by LoveYourself (bit.ly/lybooking) for all sexual health and transhealth services. LoveYourself also shifted its consultations online, calling the new service iCON (interactive consultation). For medicine refills, it established Xpress by LoveYourself to ensure continuous treatment of clients living with HIV.
Photo: LoveYourself
LoveYourself has also partnered with the Mandaluyong City government to launch the #SafetyVax program through the LGU’s #Mandavax initiative. The ongoing partnership aims to help the government increase the social acceptability of and access to COVID-19 vaccines to achieve herd immunity.
Moreover, LoveYourself has revitalized its acXess by LoveYourself program through a mobile clinic project. This is done in support of the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Incorporated under the Global Fund COVID-19 Response Mechanism. The acXess mobile clinic is meant to bring HIV-related services to the community by offering mobile testing and viral load pocket activations. It serves as a mobile safe space for all.
Lastly, to further celebrate World AIDS Day 2021, LoveYourself holds three major activities to promote HIV awareness and prevention: the Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (PETA) Under My Skin collaboration, the 3rd Ripple Awards, and the Love Gala Online.
Photo: LoveYourself
PETA’s Under My Skin Online, written by Rody Vera and directed by Melvin Lee, is a one-act play that features interwoven stories of real-life experiences of Filipinos living with HIV. For its online run, PETA has teamed up with LoveYourself, The Red Whistle and Unilab Philippines to bring the heartfelt drama to more audiences.
The play is still available for streaming until December 5, 2021. Tickets are available at Php 180 for Livestream, and Php 250 for Video on Demand tickets via www.ticket2me.net, through bit.ly/undermyskinonline.
Meanwhile, the Love Gala is a gathering of communities supporting the HIV cause. This is also where the Ripple Awards will be held to honor the outstanding movers in the HIV community.
These events will take place this December 1, 2021. Five individuals, three organizations, and two projects will be named Ripple Awardees during the event, which will be streamed live on LoveYourself’s Facebook page.
