The risk of getting and transmitting HIV, the virus that causes acquired immunity deficiency syndrome (Aids), is a growing concern especially among transient workers here, who have little access to outreach programmes.

The number of work permit holders in Singapore has risen significantly in the past three years, with latest Manpower Ministry figures pegging it at 870,000. That includes 190,000 foreign domestic workers and 230,000 foreign construction workers.

Since last year, the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) - a registered society and charity looking into the welfare of migrant workers - had thought of carrying out HIV education for the migrant population here.

The group views them as a potentially high-risk group because they are without a family support system and have limited access to such health education.

Getting its representatives to attend Standard Chartered Bank's existing programme was a natural choice.

The global bank has run its Living With HIV training among its employees since 1999, and in schools and companies here as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.

Said Home president Bridget Lew: 'Peer education is more effective among the migrant population because they trust their own people.'

She said: 'We are doing preventive education because host countries to migrant workers, like Singapore, have a social responsibility to educate them about HIV, so they can protect themselves.

'Also, if they are found to be HIV-positive and are sent back to their home countries, they will know how not to infect others.'

Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times.