I got invited to attend the closing event for the Ikatan Perempuan Positif Indonesia (Indonesian Association of Positive Women), which was just created. Held in a hotel just a couple blocks from this one, there were about 50 women participating, the culmination of a couple years' planning. It was really touching to see this new organization created and run by women with or affected by HIV. It will do so much I think. I met some old friends there, including Pinky (who has been involved with women's issues for many years in Surabaya as a scholar and activist) and Jane Wilson (now with UNAIDS). When I walked in they basically stopped the proceedings and asked me and a couple other arrivals to introduce themselves, then practically gave me a standing ovation when I said what I was doing and how happy I was that the group existed - some of the women I know from earlier work but many were new faces to me. I offered to help with letters of recommendation and such and they were very interested in that - that's one of the ways I can be of help to these kinds of groups, particularly for funders who want everything in English.
Tomorrow the national HIV/AIDS conference begins - it's going to be a big day and a fun day!
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