Project title

The main goal of the project is to strengthen the services outside the traditional settings (outreach, peer education) in order to reach the hidden population of drug users, especially women, and engage them in HIV prevention and drug treatment programs, decreasing HIV infections, STI spread among sex workers, IDU and former prisoners.

Project objectives:

• To provide a workshop for women peer-educators from risk group, empowering them to do outreach work afterwards;
• To develop and test functioning and effective outreach activities' framework for peer-educators who passed workshops;
• To progress in providing knowledge of essential facts about HIV transmission among sex workers and IDUs;
• To provide pre-test counseling, HIV testing, and post-test counseling to sex workers and IDUs;
• To provide information, needles, syringes, condoms, lubricants and medical support for IDU and sex workers.

During the project implementation five (5) one-day trainings for sex workers and IDUs about safer HIV/AIDS, STI, sex, and reproductive health were organized. The trainings were conducted by social workers, epidemiologist and gynecologist.

The consultations and health information on HIV/AIDS, STI, drug-addiction and civil rights were provided to sex workers and drug users by outreach workers. Outreach work by peer-educators was organized in Lvovo, Kalvariju, Sodu, Pylimo, Dzuku streets and in Roma community. The information, needles and syringes, condoms, lubricants were distributed also by outreach workers. Risk group members also received the card "Stay healthy".

The 10 days training on outreach work methodology and peer education methodology was organized for 9 persons. The main task of the training was to improve the consultation capacities, abilities and work in team skills/competencies. During these trainings, participants from risk group receive information about HIV, STI, drug addiction, safer sexual behavior, legal aspects (about commercial sex work, immigration, and resettlement) and social aspects (social services) by interactive methods. Education and information materials were prepared and distributed for target group members about HIV/AIDS - "STOP- drugs, STOP - AIDS".

Organization provided pre-test counselling, HIV testing and post-test counselling services for the clients (sex workers and IDUs). As well distributed needles and syringes, condoms and lubricants.

The anonymous questionnaires about knowledge, attitudes and behaviour were distributed via project. Analysis of data showed that a slight part (40.4 %) of respondents knew the ways of HIV sexual prevention and rejected major misconceptions about HIV transmission.

Main indicators:

• Number of training for outreach workers - 9;
• Number of sex workers and IDUs who took part in trainings - 30;
• Number of sex workers and IDUs who received pre-test counseling in Vilnius - 300;
• Number of sex workers and IDUs who were tested for HIV in Vilnius - 222;
• Number of sex workers who received post-test counseling in Vilnius - 200;
• Number of condoms distributed - 11140;
• Number of lubricants distributed - 2720;
• Number of needles and syringes distributed - 10000;
• Number of information distributed (e.g. leaflets, stickers, safety precaution gifts, pamphlets distributed) - 6000;
• Number of HIV+ clients referred to for provide OI/TB screening and treatment - 24.

UNODC budget