AIDES has reception facilities in over 70 French towns and is the only national HIV/AIDS association to have really close contact with sufferers.
 

Our “network” is organised into regional and departmental branches and run by over 600 volunteers who are supported by some 360 association employees. Nearly 1000 people are thus involved on a daily basis with an extremely vulnerable group of people, carrying out prevention programmes and providing listening and support services for sufferers, assistance with returning to work, reducing risks, etc.

As well as these actions and programmes, the AIDES branches provide an open door for anyone concerned by HIV/AIDS and/or hepatitis (contaminated person, a sufferer’s relatives/friends, a person having difficulty in coping with the idea of having an AIDS test...).

The branches offer a friendly atmosphere and an opportunity to talk and discuss; they are also the melting pot for the associative movement, a driving force for the strategies and decisions agreed by the association committee and Board.

The core of our work is local action to welcome and support individuals, help them to express themselves and encourage them to take collective action to achieve recognition for sufferers.