Ivan Perera, Master Trainer for John Keells Foundation’s HIV and AIDS Awareness Initiative since December 2009, has conducted close to 110 HIV awareness sessions and reached more than 25,000 people Island-wide.

Being an army veteran Ivan uses his affiliations with the military to conduct sessions for the security forces. His own experience of being in the military greatly assists him in communicating with participants on a more personal level and this is key to his success as a trainer.

He hopes to target school children in his future awareness sessions. “They are like little flowers. They have to be educated and every session only makes me more determined to make this happen”, says Ivan.