PSI’s film In his own words – the story of P’Boy has been selected for screening at the 8th International Drugs and Harm Reduction Film Festival, to be held alongside the International Harm Reduction Association Conference in Beirut in April.
The Film Festival screens documentaries, advocacy films, training videos, and fictional work relevant to reducing drug and alcohol related harms. Films shown at the event have subsequently been used for advocacy purposes in many countries. More than 75 films were submitted this year, and thirty-five films from regions as diverse as Latin America, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe have been selected for screening.
In his own words – the story of P’Boy follows P’Boy, a recovering drug user and peer educator for PSI’s Ozone Drop-in Center in Thailand. 38 percent of injecting drug users (IDUs) in Thailand are HIV-positive. This is largely due to sharing injecting equipment and a lack of access to health services and information. The Ozone Drop-in Center, is a branded network of peer educators and drop-in centers run by PSI/Thailand for IDUs. At the centers, IDUs can access health services, information, clean injecting equipment and condoms, in a confidential, trusting environment. More than 800 IDUs are currently being served by the centers. As a peer educator for Ozone Drop-in Center, P’boy meets with about 50 current and recovering drug users on an average day. He provides referrals to the center and HIV counseling and testing, distributes sterile injecting equipment and educates his peers about the risk of HIV infections.
Images in the film courtesy of Ben Johnson.
You may also watch P’Boy’s story on Healthy Behaviors, PSI’s YouTube channel.
