Jammu: For barbers in Jammu, life is more than just about styling people?s hair and shaving their beards.
In villages and migrant camps around the state, barbers are becoming a force that warn people against the dangers of HIV AIDS.
These barbers are groomed by volunteers like Swiss-based NGO, Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud (AFXB) to enlighten villagers and people living in migrant camps on the ways in which AIDS can be contracted.
AFXB has identified over 60 villages and 380 barbershops for this purpose as they feel that barbers have maximum hold on the community in Jammu.
Sanjay Kalla, the barber at the Ramnagar migrant camp in Jammu, spends a moment talking to all his customers about HIV AIDS.
"After a haircut I spend a few minutes with all people telling them how AIDS spreads. I warn them against using infected blades and syringes and even request them to practice safe sex and use condoms," says Kalla.
Programme Coordinator, AFXB, Sankit Vetam, says, "We felt that barbers were the right people who could help us in disseminating information on HIV AIDS because this is the one place that all age groups come to. We have kept literature on AIDS and also free condoms in barber shops."
Traditionally barbers are greatly respected in Jammu.
They are the ones who distribute wedding cards and without them no wedding ceremony is complete.
Even during an election, a candidate is deemed unsuitable if he does not have his own barber.
Now with barbers educating people on the ways to avoid contracting HIV AIDS, their job has been extended to include moral obligation.
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