This project came into existence within the context of widespread public denial and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS. The team efforts are aimed at creating a network which supports the participation of HIV-infected people in decision making processes concerning treatment and protection of their human rights. Thus, the network provokes active social behavior of the virus carriers and supports them in decision making when it is difficult for them to absorb the impact of being diagnosed as HIV positive - when diagnosed with HIV, people can easily fall into social dysfunction, additionally enhanced by the social attitude of intolerance towards them.
Objective: Adaptation and re-socialization of people affected by HIV/AIDS, via the creation of skills and enhancement of existing skills. This is done through consulting among people living with HIV/AIDS in the country.
Specific objectives:
- Prevention of negative isolation and self-isolation of people living with HIV/AIDS.
- Motivation of people living with HIV/AIDS aimed at increasing their social activity.
- Reduction of the social distance between the affected and society.
- Improving the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS by ensuring access to quality treatment and care.
- Acquisition of skills for coping with stigma and discrimination associated with the disease.
- Survey regarding the available resources for training and skills for counseling of people living with HIV/AIDS, through the conduction of individual interviews, surveys, and focus groups.
- Formation of a training group with skills in consulting, support, and providing assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS.
- Training modules preparation.
- Development of Manual for use by trained consultants.
- Conduction of trainings.
- Obtaining feedback from trainees.
- Conduction of supervision.
- Providing information and contact with the proposed psychological and social service: people living with HIV/AIDS provide psychological and social support to recently diagnosed HIV-infected people in the Central Laboratory for AIDS, Skin Venereal Dispensary, Room for anonymous and free counseling and HIV testing; NGOs provide HIV tests; Sectors for observation and treatment of HIV+ patients in Plovdiv, Varna, Pleven, Stara Zagora and Sofia; Development of a website for online consulting on HIV/AIDS
- Building up of a network of trained HIV+ consultants with skills in advising HIV+ patients, their partners, relatives, and their families in Vidin, Stara Zagora, Ruse, Targovishte, Haskovo, Harmanli, Plovdiv, Dragoman, Dimitrovgrad and Sofia.
- 22 trained consultants.
- Provided guidance manual on consulting for each of the centers.
- 268 newly diagnosed HIV were counseled and given help and support by trained advisors.
- Released an informational brochure about the offered services.
- Shortening the period of adaptation and overcoming the initial shock of being newly diagnosed with HIV.
- Provision of a service, which did not exist before the project.
- Improving the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS by providing them with assistance and support.
- Maintaining the social status and work position of the newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS people, with the help and support of consultants.
- Facilitating access to quality treatment and care of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Contact information
Pavel Malinov, Coordinator
Kaspar Houser Foundation
17 Akad. Ivan Evstatiev Geshov Blvd., Sofia 1606, Bulgaria
Tel.: ++359 2 952 37 80 ext. 239
Cell Phone: ++359 885 09 09 92
kasparfoundgmail.com
http://hiv-aids. hit.bg
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