World Aids Day 2009: teenagers in Brazil

Rafael,17, is HIV positive and like the majority of the children and teenagers who congregate at Pela Vidda, Rafael is among Brazil’s first generation of people who have always lived with HIV Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

By running HIV awareness seminars, Pela Vidda teenagers will talk to other young people in hospitals and HIV projects around Rio about issues such as safe sex, building friendship and health and nutrition. Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

The Pela Vidda project provides a place of refuge and safety for its young people. Offering counselling and social care services, music workshops, art therapy and regular meals, the project also works hand-in-hand with paediatricians at Niteroi hospital Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

Project staff hope that the confidence-building they witness in their kids will continue: “My mum won’t understand but when I’m 18 I’m going to try and start telling people that I am HIV positive. I don’t want to live my life always hiding away because that is not who I am. I like being me," says Gabriela, 16. Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

"The real problem is people’s attitudes because there is such ignorance around HIV and Aids, which makes life difficult. I used to always be afraid that my friends would discover that I was HIV positive because where I live bad things have happened to people who have it." Ignacio, 17. Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

Pela Vidda's percussion instructor Eduardo conducts a session of drumming with recycled materials, one of the art music workshops the project runs. Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

A Pela Vidda regular takes part in a session Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

Project staff hope that the confidence-building they witness in their kids will continue: “My mum won’t understand but when I’m 18 I’m going to try and start telling people that I am HIV positive. I don’t want to live my life always hiding away because that is not who I am. I like being me," says Gabriela, 16 Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk

The project also provides a strong support network for the children; these teenage girls are attending a dance class together, having become good friends through the project Photograph: Eduardo Martino/guardian.co.uk