CRS is working in India for over 50 years under the terms of the bilateral Indo-US Agreement signed in 1951.CRS operates through a country office in Delhi and eleven state offices. The multi-disciplinary program of Food, Health, Agriculture, Education, Peace, Micro finance, Disaster Management and HIV/AIDS is being implemented through a network of around 2500 direct and indirect partners in twenty states.

CRS India has been involved in HIV/AIDS programming since 1997 and currently supports 79 projects in 14 states of the country, implemented by both secular and faith based partners. Nearly half of the HIV/AIDS projects CRS India supports are in the area of Home, Community and Institutional Based Care and Support.

The CRS India Strategy focuses on four priorities:

• SAFE BEHAVIOUR PROMOTION – CRS India will assist individuals, households and communities to reduce social stigma and the risk of HIV infection and transmission.

• CARE – CRS India will strengthen health systems and community delivery of services such as counselling, palliative and terminal treatment and home based care.

• IMPACT MITIGATION – CRS India will help those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to retain the capacity, means and support to maintain their individual and household livelihood security.

• ADVOCACY – CRS India will act from a platform that focuses on protecting and maintain the human dignity and rights of those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS ensuring access to all available resources.

CRS Project In Kerala

CRS India has been involved in HIV/AIDS programming and currently supports 79 projects in 14 states of the country. In Kerala state, ATMATA Kendram selected different panchayat of Kottayam district and a PLHA Group. The selected panchayat were Madappally, Vazhappally and Arpookara. It is a situational Analysis Programme.The study is focusing on HIV/AIDS prevalence and High-risk behavior, IV drug users, stigma and discrimination towards the PLHAs are still prevalent in Kerala.