2023-2025. Adaptation of Ukrainian refugees living with HIV in Estonia
Project Objective:
Provide comprehensive psychosocial support to Ukrainian refugees living with HIV and facilitate their successful integration into Estonian society.
Donor:
AMERICAN EMBASSY TALLINN
Project Implementation Period:
11 september 2023 г. – 11 september 2025 г.
Project activities:
- Information consultations and support in resolving various administrative issues: (receipt of documents; registration of place of residence; registration in various government agencies and portals; assistance in finding a job; training in digital skills)
- Accompaniment in obtaining social and medical services from other specialists.
- Assistance in communicating with government and medical institutions (we provide services in 4 languages: English, Estonian, Russian and Ukrainian).
- Psychological consulting
- Social consulting
- Self-help groups
2023-2025. MSM checkpoint
Project Objective:
The main objective of the project is to strengthen and expand access to HIV prevention and treatment programs for MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) throughout Estonia. Prevention activities include comprehensive HIV testing and promotion of the existing PrEP program.
Donor:
Elton John AIDS Foundation
Project Implementation Period
July 1, 2023 – July 1, 2025
Project activities:
The main tasks of the project are:
1. Prevention activities, including comprehensive HIV testing, distribution of informational materials, and promotion of the existing PrEP program.
2. Creation of “human libraries” to train medical personnel working in clinics specializing in sexual health.
3. Conducting surveys among MSM to assess the accessibility and acceptability of existing programs.
4. Creating informational resources and guides on PrEP.
2023.Baltic Refugee Support Hub
Goal of the project:
The projects overall goal is to strengthen and expand the support of Baltic Hub, a regional coordination center providing comprehensive support services to Ukrainian war refugees from among PLHIV, LGBT+ and Key Groups in Baltic Countries.
Donor:
Nordic Council of Ministers
The period of project implementation:
01.06.2023 – 31.10.2024
Project activities:
The project aims to expand the Baltic Hub by including Lithuania and Norway, besides Estonia, Finland and Latvia, as well as expanding and improving the services provided to Ukrainian refugees. Activities planned within the project include sharing of best practices, developing a multi-language web portal, conducting a communication campaign, and organizing an online conference to ensure comprehensive assistance for refugees from diverse groups.
2022.Exchange best practices and experiences working with refugees in the Baltics
Goal of the project:
The project’s goal is to increase the ability to answer the needs of refugees affected by socially
valuable diseases, build organizations’ advocacy capacity through study visits in Estonia, Latvia,
and Finland.
Donor:
Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia (Nordic Council of Ministers’ Grant Programme for Nordic-Baltic Non-Governmental Organisations’ (NGO) Cooperation 2022 Estonia)
The period of project implementation:
01.05.2022 – 31.10.2022
Project activities:
To realize the project’s goal, we are going to provide study visits to the Estonian network of people living with HIV (Estonia), AGIHAS (Latvia), and Positiiviset ry, HivFinland (Finland). While the study visits, the participants will exchange ideas, best practices, and experiences working with refugees affected by socially valuable diseases. It will allow getting the most relevant and supportive technical assistance to answer the refugees’ needs effectively.
Project “Checkpoint MSM EHPV”
Goal of the project:
To prevent the spread of HIV / hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections among gays and other MSMs in Estonia by establishing a community center with effective referral system between national and non-governmental HIV services.
The project objectives are:
1. Increase MSM access to counseling, self – testing, and treatment as well as mental, social and legal assistance.
2. Increase MSM awareness of HIV, its treatment and other sexually transmitted diseases.
3. Contribute to preventing new HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among MSM in Estonia.
4. Increase MSM awareness about PrEP and PEP.
5. Develop cooperation between state and local government, non-governmental organizations to fight stigma and discrimination towards MSM and PLHIV and reduce the consequences of HIV and other STIs.
Donor:
The period of project implementation:
Project activities:
Conducting by peer-to-peer consultants, doctors and other specialists different event that could increase awareness about HIV infection, hepatitis C and B, as well as other STIs.
Providing the access for MSM to condoms, lubricants, self-testing kits, and information notes on men’s health.
Strengthen collaboration between state and local governments, non-governmental organizations to combat stigma and discrimination against MSM and PLHIV, through common activities.
Project in the framework of the campaign “Chase the virus, not people!”
Goals and objectives:
Coverage of the problems of people living with HIV related to stigma, discrimination and violation of their rights in Estonia.
Donor:
Robert Carr Fund for civil society Networks.
Duration of the project:
May 01, 2020 – August 31, 2020
Project activities:
The main goal of the campaign is to attract attention to the problems of people living with HIV by covering the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day in social networks and hosting events dedicated to that day in Tallinn, Narva and Jõhvi.
Another aim of the project is to create a video about the problems of the community of people living with HIV in Estonia, and to promote it on social networks, in the media and the communication channels of partners.
HIV peer counseling service in the Ida-Viru region is carried out with the support of the National Institute for Health Development
The goal of peer counseling:
Helping people living with HIV and their loved ones in resolving the problems and emotional experiences associated with HIV infection, based on the knowledge and experience of peer consultants. A peer consultant conducts counseling, both individually and in group form, in addition to case management and working with infectious diseases in the Ida-Viru region.
Counseling is aimed at people living with HIV in a crisis situation and unable to cope with psychosocial problems on their own.
A peer consultant is a person living with HIV who has reached the age of 18, has completed counseling courses totaling no less than 16 hours, and has earned a diploma confirming this.
Description of the consulting services:
All forms of peer counseling provide help based on examples from personal experience in accepting one’s diagnosis and oneself as a full-fledged person, worthy of a normal life. Many people with an HIV diagnosis experience fears of disclosure of their health status, loneliness, uselessness, as inexperience and ignorance of their illness and its treatment can lead to serious consequences, such as isolation, denial of the disease, and unwillingness to be treated. The work of a peer consultant on HIV includes both individual and group counseling, and close cooperation with workers of infectious diseases departments, such as a nurse, a social worker, a doctor, and a psychologist.
The service covers the following areas:
1. Individual peer counseling in the Ida-Viru region, for people living with HIV and their loved ones;
2. Group peer counseling in the Ida-Viru region, for people living with HIV and their loved ones;
3. Case management and cooperation with infectious diseases departments in the Ida-Viru County;
4. Phone and online counseling for people living with HIV and their loved ones.
Case management and cooperation with infectious diseases departments
The work of a peer HIV consultant includes not only proper counseling, but also work on adherence, seeking out lost clients, escorting and bringing them to treatment, delivery of ARV therapy, as well as assistance to doctors and social workers, according to the needs of each individual case. A peer consultant cooperates with the infectious diseases departments of the Ida-Viru region.
The project “Improving the quality of life of children from families affected by HIV” is implemented with the support of the Tallinn Social Department
This project aims to improve the quality of life of children living in families affected by HIV infection by increasing parental competence in a situation where it is necessary to inform the child about a serious non-curable disease.
Goals of the project:
1. To prepare parents for informing their child of their medical status (fulfillment of their obligation);
2. To reduce the possibility of a destructive experience for the child, resulting from receiving this information;
3. To prevent infection by ignorance;
4. To prevent the child from experiencing acute reactions associated with a sudden death in the family.
Tasks of the project:
1. To expand the parent’s understanding of the psychological processes associated with experiences in a situation of change;
2. To expand the communication skills for explaining situations which are difficult for the parent;
3. To provide the skills needed to differentiate the experiences of the parent from the experiences of the child;
4. To develop a mentally healthy position for a parent regarding their medical status;
5. To provide the parents with the psychological resources necessary for an honest dialogue with the child regarding the disease.
Activities within the scope of the project:
Main activities of the project are informational lectures, group psychological therapy and individual counseling. This approach will teach family members affected by HIV to impart and receive important, but difficult information between family members while maintaining safety and trust. Information that is imparted to a child in a safe atmosphere can help the child cope with discrimination and stigma on the part of society.
Group psychotherapy is aimed at strengthening the resources of parents living with the status of an incurable disease.
Psychological work is aimed at building interpersonal relationships in the family that allow for healthy integration of information.
Regional program “Health can be bought if you have a budget” is carried out with the support of the Robert Carr Foundation.
Goal of the project
People living with HIV (PLHIV), men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender people, and people who use drugs (PWUD), as well as their allies in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region, will have an impact on resource mobilization for an effective and sustainable response to HIV.
Donor
Robert Carr civil society Networks Fund (RCNF)
The period of project implementation
Years 2016–2018
Countries covered by the project
Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Estonia
Expected results:
As a result of the project it is expected that representatives of PLHIV and other key communities will be able to monitor the budget and advocate for HIV services to ensure a continuum of services. The aim of the project and the expected results are in line with the principles developed at the regional consultation on the transition and sustainability of HIV and tuberculosis programs. In particular, one of the nine principles states that key groups should be at the center of the transition efforts being undertaken and play a leading role in them.
Another important result of the project will be the development of communication and partnership both within key communities and between them, as well as effective advocacy with governments, technical agencies, and donors, for which organizations of PLHIV and other communities will be provided with the necessary tools and experience. The project will provide community organizations with the necessary potential, knowledge, authority for meaningful involvement in resource mobilization, and accountability.
Primary activities:
Within the framework of the project, during the first year, investment in and services for PLHIV, PWUD, MSM and transgender people, as well as adolescents, will be assessed. Evaluation of these services will help to identify the priority for each target group, for the support of which it is necessary to conduct budgetary advocacy.
An investment assessment will be conducted to calculate the costs incurred and to plan financing needs, which will help communities operate on facts and reliable data in budgetary negotiations.
The results obtained will be used for subsequent advocacy of strategic, sufficient and sustainable investments in responding to the HIV epidemic that will meet the needs of PLHIV, adolescents, PWUD, MSM and transgender people.
The regional program “Partnership for Equal Access to HIV-Related Services in the EECA Region for All Who Need It” is supported by the Global Fund
The goal and objectives of the regional program “Partnership for Equal Access to HIV-Related Services in Eastern Europe and Central Asia”, developed by ECUO (Eastern European and Central Asian Union of People Living with HIV) in partnership with EHRA (Eurasian Harm Reduction Association) and with the technical support provided by WHO and UNAIDS were discussed in a series of regional consultations and were supported by a broad range of stakeholders, including representatives of the Country Coordinating Mechanisms and the key affected populations (KAP) from Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA).
Donor
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
The period of project implementation
November 2015 – October 2018
Expected results:
As a result of the implementation of the ECUO regional program, the Partnership for Equal Access to HIV Services is expected to improve the effectiveness, availability and sustainability of HIV treatment programs through promoting continuous HIV care for people living with HIV, with a special focus on KAPs in EECA countries.
The goals and objectives of the project are expected to be achieved through activities on both regional and national level aimed at overcoming barriers to access to the continuum of HIV-related services, and facilitating the transition to sustainable public funding for the provision of continuous HIV care.
The efforts of different communities — people who use drugs, sex workers, men who have sex with men, people affected by tuberculosis and HIV — being combined into a single movement to provide access to a continuum of HIV-related services makes this regional program unique.
Community capacity-building within the framework of the program will be implemented through the use of the “learning through action” approach.
In general, the project covers 15 countries in the EECA region. Seven countries — Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Uzbekistan and Estonia — will have the opportunity to participate in an open competition for the development and implementation of national plans to overcome barriers to sustainable and quality access to the continuum of HIV-related services.
ECUO’s regional program “Partnership for Equal Access to HIV Services” implies close cooperation and interaction between communities, relevant ministries, agencies and institutions, international and national organizations, and technical partners, so that everyone in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region has access to HIV-related services.
