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Educating and Empowering Vulnerable Populations
The key strategy of this component is to support and advocate for high coverage of at most risk populations by enabling and empowering them to overcome stigma, have a greater role and define how society responds to their needs and constraints that prevent this group of population from getting adequate medical and social support and acquiring their rights to a quality care.
The project pilots the following models/approaches of community mobilization that will be offered to the government for further replication:
60 + approach and Civil Society Mobilization
In the framework of 60+ Strategy, CAPACITY developed the prevention model, directed to minimum 60 % coverage of vulnerable populations — Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) and Sex Workers (SWs) by comprehensive package of HIV/AIDS prevention services.  The model is being implemented in 7 pilot sites in Central Asia within the regional project TUMAR with funding from CAAP and technical assistance of CAPACITY. As for Kyrgyzstan, the project is being piloted since the second part of 2007 in 2 model sites (Osh and Karasuu cities) by two local NGOs – "Podruga” (SWs) and "Parents against drugs” (IDUs). Beside of these organizations, a number of other institutions are involved in the project implementation. They are NGO "Positive help”, Republican AIDS Center, Osh Oblast Center of Narcology, Family Medicine Centers, law-enforcement institutions, Oblast and rayon Administrations, institutions of local self-governance and clergy. Today the following has been achieved as a result of the Project implementation: Communication Centers for providing amicable services to SWs and IDUs are established; the referral system has been set up and is successfully functioning; "peer-to-peer” education to IDUs and SWs is broadly implemented; IDUs and SWs are being provided with individual protection means; advocacy and communication campaigns aimed at decreasing the stigma and discrimination of at most risk populations are being carried out.
Within the Civil Society Mobilization Strategy, CAPACITY aims at strengthening organizational and institutional capacity of NGOs and civil society for mobilization of large scale prevention programs among at most risk populations, particularly IDUs and SWs. In this connection, the Project conducts a number of preventive interventions:
-Seminars on the development of project proposals within the framework of "Umbrella” model. In June 2006, CAPACITY jointly with the Central Asian AIDS Control Project (CAAP) conducted a regional Training of Trainers on the development of proposals by community organizations aimed at achieving high coverage of at most risk populations for the prevention of HIV in Central Asia, involving 11 NGO leaders from Kyrgyzstan. This led to a number of follow-up workshops at oblast level under the umbrella model. Thus, four oblast level workshops (Chuyi, Bishkek, Osh and Jalal-Abad) have been carried out in Kyrgyzstan. This in turn, brought to the development of eight project proposals. Three of them in the format of "umbrella model” have been approved by GFATM (2 proposals of NGO "Socium” for Bishkek city and Chyi Oblast and 1 proposal of NGO "Zdorovoe pokolenie” for Jalalabad and Osh Oblasts).
- Trainings on organizational and institutional development of AIDS-service organizations.
 In December 2007, CAPACITY conducted the second Regional Training of Trainers (ToT) on organizational and institutional development of AIDS-service NGOs, resulted in the creation of the trainers’ team. During February 18- March 13, 2008 as a sequel to ToT, CAPACITY in cooperation with CARHAP conducted series of country level seminars in 5 regions of Kyrgyzstan (Osh, Batken, Jalalabad, Chui Oblasts and Bishkek city), as a result of which 85 representatives from 63 NGOs and 21 state organizations have been trained. During the course of the seminars the participants improved their knowledge and skills on effective approaches to HIV prevention among groups most vulnerable to HIV, including advocacy, counseling, outreach work, resource mobilization and acquired better understanding of the importance of cooperation and partnership activities. As a next stage of the activity the trainers are now providing on-site consultations to local AIDS-service organizations.
-1st National Forum of AIDS-service NGOs in Kyrgyzstan. CAPACITY NGO Liaison on behalf of the CAPACITY Project provided technical assistance in organization of the 1st National Forum of AIDFS-service NGOs of Kyrgyzstan, which took place in Bishkek from 23 to 25 January, 2008. The Forum brought together the representatives of governmental and non-governmental institutions to discuss the role of the civil society in the national response against HIV/AIDS epidemics, review the current status of AIDS-service NGOs and consider obstacles and achievements in interaction of local NGOs with international and state partners. The main purpose of the Forum was to better align the civil society and international/state institutions in implementing the national HIV/AIDS strategies. The Forum resulted in the establishment of the Coordination Committee of AIDS-service NGOs and adoption of the Memorandum on cooperation and partnership. Currently CAPACITY is providing technical and financial assistance in creating the web-site of the newly established Coordination Committee of AIDS-service NGOs.
- PLH meeting. On September 26–27, 2008 the initiative group, representing the communities of people living with HIV (PLH), organizations working with PLH and interested partners with the methodic and logistical support of the CAPACITY Project  initiated the country level meeting of PLH. During the course of the meeting the following issues were reviewed and discussed: increasing the participation of PLH in developing the national policy on HIV, preparing proposals and recommendations for their inclusion into the package of services for PLH and unifying the above organizations into a single legal entity. The meeting resulted with the establishment of the Union of PLH in Kyrgyzstan, the constitutors of which became three organizations of people living with HIV, development and approval of the mission, goals and objectives of the Union, election of the Union Presidium and its Chair as well as development of the draft of the package of services for PLH, which will be finalized and approved at the regional seminar, organized by the CAPACITY Project in October 2008.
Youth Power Center
Youth Power Center model is a mobilization and information dissemination process targeted at youth through the peer education programs. For the implementation of the model the CAPACITY sub-contractor – International NGO PSI conducted the situation analysis in Bishkek and defined the most vulnerable district (Leniskyi) in terms of drug use among the youth and in February 2006 established the Youth Power Center in the named area. During the course of the model implementation, the Center conducted 9471 trainings, 1274 mini sessions, provided the psychological counseling services to 425 young people, organized and carried out English language, Computer, World Civilization courses, Table tennis, Break dance and Guitar Clubs for 3453 young people. The model proved to be successful and in July 2007 was passed over to the local NGO "Intergelpo”. Currently, 15 trained volunteers carry out trainings and participate in organization of various actions on harm reduction. It should be noted that since the launch of the model to date the number of young people attending the Center has tremendously increased (about 2000 people in February 2006 against 4000 people in June 2008).
Condom Social Marketing
Condom Social Marketing promotes behavior change among youth by means of marketing and sale of condom FAVORITE in the youth locations through such outlets as drugstores, kiosks and hotels. Totally, about 2 million condoms were sold since the beginning of the Project.
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Bulletin
Partners
www.rcaids.kz
Republican AIDS Center, Kazakhstan
www.ncc.tj
National Coordination Committee, Tajikistan
www.afew.org
AIDS Foundation East-West
www.caap.info
Central Asia AIDS Control Project
www.cdc.gov
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
www.ddrprogram.org
Drug Demand Reduction Project
www.theglobalfund.org
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberkulosis and Malaria
www.projecthope.org
Project HOPE/TB
www.soros.org
Soros Foundation
www.undp.org
UNDP
www.unicef.org
United Nations Children's Fund
www.unodc.org
United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime
www.usaid.gov
USAID
www.euro.who.int
World Health Organization
www.zplus.kz
ZdravPlus Project
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