In 1992 a public opinion poll was held about AIDS among 300 residents; the results (see box) were incorporated into SERPAJ's work by an "AIDS team" working with 10 female community agents. They developed a basic community workshop programme with modules on self-esteem, "my feelings" (e.g., fears and how people imagine they would feel having the virus), "What do we think about AIDS?", dramatizing AIDS, a life history, "Playing with the virus" (a game focusing on transmission and prevention), AIDS and human rights, correct condom use, women's right to health, exercising women's rights and workshop evaluation.

Each workshop is adapted to the needs of a given neighbourhood since local women participate in deciding the module contents and, during the workshop, designing an action plan to take forward with organized community groups. Workshop participants are encouraged to be involved in the plans, for instance committing themselves to peer discussion, writing poems on AIDS, painting murals, drama and other activities to raise awareness. Some have also participated in campaigns for "Women's rights, sexuality and AIDS" and community World AIDS Day activities.

Amid a still-growing AIDS problem, intensified work is now being done with young women especially, increasing women and girls' knowledge of sexuality and their bodies and motivating them to demand condom supplies from the public health sector. Seminars are also offered to community leaders, other women's groups and to secondary school students. HIV/AIDS has been included in a care and support programme for street children undertaken jointly with a government service. SERPAJ-Santiago is working increasingly with other NGOS and is encouraging other branches of SERPAJ itself to incorporate AIDS activities into their programmes, too.