Message from the Founders

IAPA was founded in 2004 in the belief that young people could actively fight international health inequities, improve the lives of others around the world, and connect to and understand different cultures and crucial points in the lives. IAPA began its work in 2006, with our initial summer volunteer program of 14 US college students working with five Indian college students. That summer IAPA reached several hundred high school students in Chennai with our HIV prevention education.

Today, IAPA operates four full time programs, including community based HIV education and risk reduction, nutritional support for HIV positive children and their caregivers, high school and college outreach, and capacity building with local NGOs on HIV issues. IAPA now reaches tens of thousands of people every year in Chennai and in villages in nearby districts.

Creating a Sustainable Effort

IAPA strives to work with communities and local organizations to improve their capacities to provide services to HIV positive individuals and prevent new infections. Our education related programs are focused on training community members to recognize and prevent risk-related behaviors, reducing the stigma associated with the disease, and to encourage dissemination of the knowledge in communities through local trainers.

	Sanjay Sihna Executive Director Sanjay Sinha is the Executive Director and Co-founder of IAPA. Sanjay is currently pursuing his MD at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Sanjay has worked extensively with local HIV efforts in the US as a volunteer trainer for several AIDS service organizations, Organizer of HIV related seminars, and as the co-chair of the Global Health Forum at the UACOM. Abroad, Sanjay has worked with HIV in Tanzania, and in India with IAPA since 2004. Sanjay is currently heavily involved with IAPA's domestic development, and community based programs being accomplished in collaboration with local Indian organizations. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” -Mahatma Gandhi This is the philosophy that IAPA was founded on and this is the idea that will always drive me forward.
	Eric Hamm Financial Director Eric Hamm is the current Financial Director and co-founder of IAPA. He obtained his Masters in Public Health in Global Epidemiology in 2008 from Emory University, and is currently pursuing his MD at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
	Alok Patki Former In-Country Director Alok graduated from the University of Arizona in 2006 with a degree in Computer Science and Biochemistry. He is currently a medical student at Washington University, and has been involved in health promotion and research for the past several years.