The Women's Retreat is an annual event hosted by Positive Women Inc., It offers women living with HIV across Aotearoa the chance to come together for peer support and provides a valuable opportunity for women to attend the HIV Women’s Seminar on the Friday, which is open to everyone followed by a 2 day Retreat for women living with HIV only. The purpose of the Seminar and Retreat is to enable women living with HIV to receive updates on HIV-related health developments and to share personal experiences with health professionals attending the conference and with each other.
This year, we welcomed 37 women living with HIV, ranging in age from 16 to 65. For 10 of the women, it was the first time to attend this event.
One of our new attendees shared her experience:
“The Seminar & Retreat was amazing. From the time I was picked up until I was dropped off by my gate felt like a whirlwind dream. I made so many friends and contacts. The program was well thought through and that can only be achieved by veterans of PWI amazing team”.
The weekend was filled with learning, relationship-building, and relaxation activities. This year’s craft workshop was to make a 'Wish & Worry Doll’. These dolls are part of a tradition where people share their worries and wishes with the doll. As the women worked on the dolls together, it was a relaxed environment allowing women to share the stories and emotions behind their dolls.
