Aids foundation turns 25

BY JOCELYN REIN

Working with one of the country's most at-risk groups is the next step in a lifetime of community work for Cherry Sonderer.

Ms Sonderer will take her position this Friday as one of two new members on the New Zealand Aids Foundation Trust Board.

At a time when HIV infections in New Zealand are at an all-time high, the board has its work cut out over the coming year, says Ms Sonderer.

In 2008 there were 184 new diagnoses, one more than the previous high of 183 in 2005.

She says the rising in-fection rate, combined with the fact that more people are living longer
thanks to anti retro-viral drugs, means the foundation has a lot more work to do.

"There are now a huge number of people living with HIV, which poses a lot of challenges," she says.

But with more than 25 years of working with non-profit organisations behind her, Ms Sonderer is well qualified for the task.

Although she originally trained as a radiographer, she’s spent many years in human relations and fund-raising roles for charities, particularly within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and drug and youth services.

"When you’ve got a background in health it makes your awareness a little bit greater," she says.

But she says working closely with the people in communities is what drives her.

Living in tight-knit
Grey Lynn, she says, has shown her the difference a strong community can make.

"It brings out the best in people," she says. "It makes connections. When you’ve got a community that you know where to go and be safe, that’s all that matters, I really believe in that."

For the last four years she has worked with the Cartier Trust, established in 2000 to help with funeral costs for families who have lost loved ones to Aids.

She has worked closely with the NZAF for many years and says she jumped at the chance to work with the organisation at a time when its services are more crucial than ever.

As well as continuing its two main avenues of work – preventing the spread of HIV and supporting people living with the disease this year the foundation will focus on some key initiatives.

Celebrating a quarter century this year, she says, will be an important milestone.

"To be 25 years later, operating at this level is absolutely phenomenal."

This year will also centre around the foundation’s Get It On campaign, launched in September last year.

The condom-use campaign is a cohesive approach to the NZAF’s previous
safe sex drives which targeted specific communi-ties.

It will be the main focus at this weekend’s Big Gay
Out at Pt Chevalier’s Coyle Park.

Since its beginnings in the early 1990s, the
event has become the city’s biggest gay gathering and is the perfect vehicle to relay the NZAF’s message.

"You couldn’t get a better way of getting the message out there," says Cherry.

- © Fairfax NZ News