Widely held misconceptions and a lack of information about ways of infection, transmission and protection against HIV/AIDS puts Egypt at great risk of seeing a spread of the disease. The adult HIV/AIDS prevalence rate according to official statistics is considerably lower than that of Sub-Saharan Africa, but experts say the problem could be explosive. Governmental efforts to hinder a potential epidemic are limited as well as the number of civil society organizations working with the HIV/AIDS issue. Taboos surround the issue which restricts people from acquiring sufficient and correct knowledge about the disease, and causes people living with HIV/AIDS to be stigmatized and excluded from society. Since 2008, BLACD is working with Christian Aid to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in 20 communities in Minya.

   

BLACD is currently conducting a study in the target communities to measure the knowledge people have of HIV/AIDS, as well as their attitudes and behavior towards people living with the disease. While the study has not yet been finalized, it is clear that people lack accurate information about ways of infection and transmission of the disease and have almost no knowledge of how to protect themselves. People commonly hold the incorrect belief that the only way of being infected with HIV is through sexual relations outside of marriage.

BLACD has established 13 social movements in the target villages whose members work to raise local awareness of HIV/AIDS through campaigns, seminars, village meetings and youth camps. Members of the movements include teachers, directors of youth centers, youth volunteers, active community members and health visitors who all received training on ways of infection, transmission and protection against HIV/AIDS and how to deal with people infected with HIV/AIDS. A committee consisting of officials from the directorates of health, education, youth and sports, as well as media practitioners and religious leaders facilitate the implementation of activities in schools, health units and youth centers.