get to know the foundation

The St. Maarten AIDS Foundation is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization serving the population of Sint Maarten since 1990. Its objectives are to:

• Promote awareness among the general population about the existence and risks of HIV, AIDS and STDs
• Prevent HIV infection in the community via comprehensive educational and behavioral change programs
• Prevent and reduce the possible negative social, economic and/or personal consequences of the HIV/AIDS-epidemic
• Assist with the care and support for Persons Living with HIV and AIDS.

The Foundation runs its programs along two pillars of Prevention and Care.

Under Prevention, the Foundation has for a number of years run educational workshops and outreach programs through schools, communities, businesses and faith-based organizations that promote awareness of HIV/AIDS, help assess risk factors and enable easy and rapid testing. Girl Power, introduced in 2006, is one such program that has successfully armed teenage girls with practical knowledge, as well as self-empowerment and negotiation tools to effectively combat infection risks.

Under Care, the Foundation is actively involved in treating people living with HIV and providing individual counseling and support to those individuals and family members who seek such assistance.  H.O.P.E., a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS, meets once a month. The Foundation also actively advocates on behalf of persons living with HIV/AIDS, particularly on negotiations for cheaper antiretroviral medicines and fair access to mortgages and life insurance policies.

In 2011, the foundation developed a 5-year strategic plan for the expansion and implementation of its activities. Click here for a condensed version of this plan.