Presentation

Before explaining the results of this vast operation, we shall reproduce the last presentation of the FAR made for the 13th International Conference on AIDS (Durban, South Africa, 9-14/07/2000, abstract accepted under the number E.4868, updated during May 2000 ; other pieces of information about the FAR are also given in chapter III.). In this connection, we wish to emphasize the importance of the slogan chosen by the organizers of this conference : BREAK THE SILENCE (http://www.aids2000.com).

A previous presentation of the FAR has been made for the Second International Conference on Health, Precariousness, Vulnerability in Europe (1-2/12/1998, Maison de la Chimie, Paris, France), set out by the Institut de l'Humanitaire ).

An urgent help fund for HIV-infected persons : "Fond d'Aide Rapide" (FAR).

Issues

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection has lead a number of people to social precarity mainly because they have lost their jobs. But the hope of a chronical remission is more and more likely to happen since tritherapies (1997) and other treatments under investigations have been used. It is therefore more and more important to fight against social exclusion. Indeed social exclusion represents an important stress that can influence people immunity. Paradoxically, people in a precarious position due to any serious illness encounter more and more difficulties when they request financial assistance from associations or institutions (like social services) with consequent financial means.

Description

The FAR ("Fond d'Aide rapide") is an urgent help fund. It was created in 1998 by Positifs association. Its purpose is to help within a few days HIV positive people who are in a difficult social and financial position due to theit illness. Thanks to the Freddy Mercury's Fundation and to the revenues of two concerts of music (Voices against AIDS / Des Voix contre le Sida in Paris and The Arbolesco Vocal Band / Groupe Vocal Arbolesco in Amiens), Positifs has been able to collect 200,000FF since 1998.

So, we have been able to help 128 people. Among the 89 living in France (28 are natives of Africa), 44 had already made demands to social services and to other associations, but without success (72 already benefited from social allowances). Each person received an amount between 1,000 and 5,000FF, according to each situation. For the present, the allowances have been often limited to a maximum of 3.000FF because the number of subsidies for the FAR are still insufficient. The allowances could eventually be made in certain cases in the form of an interest free loan so that we could help a geatest number of people. We also helped 39 persons living in Africa via sister organisations. The requests from benefit from the FAR were motivated by : difficult end of months, housing, debts, taxes, travel expenses, assistance for a job, for the holidays, health expenses, dental care, maternity, schooling.

Conclusion

Many requests for subsidies to feed this fund have been carried out. Among the organizations which did not agree to grant the FAR, we cannot keep silent on two of them because it is about the AIDS Section of the General Direction of Health (junior minister's office in the Employment and Solidarity Ministry) and about the Under-Direction in the Health and in the Social Development of Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It's a long and complicated work and the result is quite dissapointing. This can be explained for the major part by the retractance of subventioning organisations due to the disappropriation of funds by certain associations. So, we decided that the running cost of the FAR can't go beyond 10% of the allocated sums and to publish regularly in our Internet website the details of all granted assistances with the FAR (monthly means, fixed household expenses, social follow-up, other requested assistances, other granted assistances, FAR assistance).

More and more seropositive persons appeal to us, because of their precariousness. The assistances of the institutionnal organisms are insufficient, and except POSITIFS and few other associations fighting AIDS, these people don't know anymore who to request. Are we their last resort?