NGO Project Summaries - Bosnia And Herzegovina

 

Citizens Association for the Support, Treatment & Re-socialization of Drug Addicts (UGPROI) Background: The project was implemented by Association PROI.  The project purpose was the prevention and reduction of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and HIV and STI risk behaviours among sex workers in Bosnia & Herzegovina.  Sex workers are highly stigmatized and marginalized by society in B&H.  The stigmatization is one of the factors contributing to their vulnerability to HIV and STI.  Sex Workers can be victims of violence and abuse, especially the female sex workers who are targeted by the proposed project.  This is the first and only project in B&H which used the POL (popular opinion leader) methodology in its approach. Project Title:  Establishing network of popular opinion leaders (POL) in population of sexual workers (SW) Duration: July 2009 - March 2010 (Project extended to May 2010) Target group: Sex workers in 3 major cities in Bosnia & Herzegovina - Sarajevo, Mostar, Zenica Budget: 17.925 Euro (Co-financing amount 4.400.00 Euro) Baseline information: According to the official estimations of Public Health institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) there are about 2000 sexual workers. The POL (popular opinion leader) methodology was used, and sex workers selected that might carry opinion in their communities.  POL facilitates an intervention that identifies, trains, and enlists the help of key opinion leaders to change risky sexual norms and behaviors in the sex workers community.  Once innovations are visibly modeled and accepted, they then diffuse throughout a population, influencing others. The POL methodology has been employed in Romania, Bulgaria and USA, but this is the first time it was applied here. Indications are that sex workers perceive themselves to be of medium risk for HIV, and have some knowledge about HIV already (up to 94% knows condom use can reduce risk of HIV).  However, this knowledge often does not translate into behaviour change. Behaviour Change Communication as a tool for promoting and sustaining risk-reducing behavior change in individuals and communities by distributing tailored health messages was part of this project methodology. Problem analysis: Traditionally, sexual work in Bosnia and Herzegovina could be divided in three periods. Before the war, post war and actual period. The post war period (1995-2000) was the time of flourishing of sexual work and it was almost legal. But after the raids done in 2001-2002, by the international and local police forces, it became deeply hidden. Regardless of the period, there always was lack of trustful information about the characteristics of SW scene. In order to ensure concrete information how SWs operate contact was made with some people with criminal backgrounds, who are familiar with the SW scene in Sarajevo and Zenica. After explaining to them this initiative in the field of prevention of HIV and other STIs and our need to contact local SW, they facilitated our first contacts with pimps and sexual workers. Project activities and outcomes: POL The main purpose of the extension of the project for two months was to train POL girls who were part of the previous POL trainings, to become trainers for next generation of POL girls. We consider that girls from the scene are the most appropriate for conducting trainings, because they have a lot of experience in this field. Beside their experience, we trained them to become successful peer trainers. These trainings were the core activities of the POL project. Trainings were conducted by two competent external co-workers (one HIV and AIDS and STI prevention program certificated) and a outreach worker (graduate pedagogue/psychologist). Topics included in the trainings were: Influence of peers; Influence of leader’s opinion in group; HIV/AIDS informative session; STI informative session; Demonstration of proper use of condom; Communication and Counselor Skills and Exercise and Role Play : ”Please join us“, “Eye contact” and “Help your friend“ Visits to VCT centers Cosmetic sets consisting of face powder and lip-gloss were provided in order to motivate girls from the SW community to get tested, presented along with vouchers for the testing.  Project activities and outcomes:  -          good understanding obtained of the SW scene -        20 SW work location identified -        selected suitable POL trainees -        8 manuals designed and distributed for POL trainers -        6 trainings implemented in Sarajevo -        4 trainings implemented in Zenica -       cosmetic sets and vouchers for VCT testing given out to 220 SWs by POL leaders during education of SWs on HIV/STi and use of condoms -        94 Sexual workers subsequently visited VCT service Results: -          established POL education network -          increased knowledge and HIV- STI preventive behaviours  -          increased consistent condom use, particularly with respect to anal intercourse -          following the extension of the project, girls are still visiting for VCT Direct Beneficiaries of this project: -         96 sex workers trained- who will be the advocators of the POL approach -         220 sex workers reached by POL

VICTORIJA ORGANIZATION This project was to prevent mother to child HIV transmission. NGO Viktorija and their partners through their project activities increased knowledge about HIV and sexually transmitted infection among pregnant women and provided HIV counselling and testing for pregnant women. The project was implemented by NGO Viktorija in partnership with Foundation Partnership in Health, Banja Luka and Doboj Hospitals. NGO Viktorija had agreement and support from Clinical hospital centre Banja Luka for project implementation. Project Title:  HIV and pregnancy Duration: July 1st 2009 – February 28th  2010 Target group: Pregnant women in first trimesters who use services of state obstetric clinics in Banja Luka and Doboj.  This project contributed to raising awareness among the social environment, governmental, non-governmental organizations and institutions on importance of PMCT Budget: 6.400,00 Euro (Co-financing 5.445 TF and Viktorija contribution (office materials, phone cost, media promotion)  955,00 Euro) Baseline information: Biological, cultural and socio-economic conditions contribute to women’s vulnerability to HIV. In unprotected heterosexual intercourse women are twice as likely as men to acquire HIV from an infected partner (source: UNAIDS, Policy and Practice, Key populations, Women and girls).  Socio-economic factors, including women’s lack of access to education or personal income perpetuate women’s low status and create vulnerability to HIV infection. Failure to respect the rights of girl and women to schooling, training and employment reinforces their economic dependency on men, as husband, as partners, or as clients (for women in commercial sex work). One way of HIV transmission is vertical transmission, i.e. maternal to child HIV transmission through child birth and breastfeeding. A second mode of MTC transmission is through breastfeeding. If a mother with HIV breastfeeds her baby, the possibility of HIV transmission increases 1-3 times. Project goal: Prevention of maternal to child HIV transmission through increasing knowledge about HIV and sexually-transmitted infection among pregnant women and providing HIV counseling and testing for pregnant women visiting the obstetric clinic in Banja Luka and Doboj. Project Outputs 160 pregnant women educated and counselled on HIV and STI prevention 8 counselling group sessions with those 160 session participants, conducted by experienced VCT counsellors 147 utilized VCT services for pregnant women: VCT services cover counseling before testing, testing and counseling after testing At least 400 pregnant women have already received information on HIV transmission from mother to child through brochures developed by the NGO and made available at the obstetric clinics in Banja Luka, Doboj, Prijedor, Foca and Gradiska.  Distribution of these brochures is ongoing – 1000 brochures were printed Project Results Improved cooperation between the governmental and non – governmental institutions and a network of services dealing with HIV prevention for pregnant women Increased public awareness about PMCT Timely access to services for women who are diagnosed with HIV, reducing the rate of transmission

Association for support of people living with HIV/AIDS APOHA   Background: Association for support to people living with HIV or AIDS – APOHA was established in Sarajevo in 2004 by the Association for Sexual and Reproductive Health XY a nongovernmental, nonpolitical and nonprofitable organization registered at the state level. Since APOHA is registered at the state level, it is able to provide support in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Establishment of APOHA was supported by Ministry of Health of Federation of B&H, Ministry of Health of Republika Srpska, Development Fund for International Development, UK, SIDA and Fondation Partnerships in Health as the main donor. APOHA started its operations on the first of December 2004. Established because of the increasing need to conduct campaigns to prevent HIV, educate the public and professionals, and most importantly to fight against discrimination and provide psychosocial support to the people living with HIV or AIDS. Therefore, APOHA’s priorities are the improvement of the situation of PLHIV with regard to medical treatment and care and the everyday psychosocial needs of PLHIV and their families in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Start Date: 01.04.08 Anticipated duration of project: One year + 6 months non-cost extension Target groups: People living with HIV Budget: 30,000 euro Baseline information: This project was developed based on the needs of the persons living with HIV (members of APOHA), in a study titled “Qualitative study on persons living with HIV” conducted during 2006 and 2007. The study found that members of APOHA live in difficult socio-economical conditions (below poverty level) and are not able to meet their basic daily living needs. In most cases, they have no regular incomes and depend on help that is delivered through the project activities of APOHA, the only non-governmental organization dealing with provision of support to this population in Federation of BiH. Their health is worsened by the opportunistic infections they get, because they do not have the means to buy much needed medications not covered by the compulsory health insurance. Poor nutrition and housing also contribute to their bad health (especially during the winter period). Antiretroviral therapy often does not lead to the expected results, as due to poverty, the majority of PHLIV cannot afford good nutrition needed for their treatment. They also lose body weight from malnutrition, when opportunistic infections often occur. Also, lack of financial means to regularly go for treatment, particularly among those who live far away from the clinics add negatively to their health. Persons living with HIV according to the Law on Bases of Social Protection, have the right to social support (personal fee for disabled persons, fee for nursing care and orthopedic addition) through centers for social labor. However in order to have their disability percentage determined, they must reveal their HIV status, but due to protection of their families, discrimination, stigmatization, and previous bad experience with certain employees of the centers for social labor, they do not apply for this support. Hence APOHA, in this project, wishes to support and improve economic status and health of PLHIV in the whole of BiH by striving to improve the quality of their lives and their position in society and to decrease stigma and prejudices towards this population by advocating for their and their families’ rights   Results to-date:   PROJECT OBJECTIVE Activity Achieved Comments Improved health condition of People with HIV who suffer from OI Recruitment new members of APOHA 2 On going Provision of multivitamin supplement 32 On going Provision of OI medications 27 On going Covering of travel expenses  of people with HIV 30 On going Established collaboration with authorities Meetings with competent authorities 8 This activity is completed. Establishing of APOHA’s trust fund Opening of a trust fund account 1 Activity is completed, account is open and re-registration from Ministry of Civil Affairs is gained. Fund raising activities 7 Promotion of Apoha’s trust fond on TV, radio station, in CRS NGO. 200 letters has been send to embassies and companies. It is collected approximately 200 EUR Disbursement of assistance through the trust fond 1 Glassess for APOHA member bought. Development  of Income Generation Activities Income generation  assessment 25 Initial assessment. For further assessment selected only 5 beneficiaries. Others are not interested or due to health status ,they are not able for any IG activity, Second income generation  assessment 5 On site, detailed assessment. 3 beneficiaries selected for assistance Market research 1 Simple, on site market assessment for selected beneficiaries. Skills development 0 Will begin in April 2010 Purchase of equipment, tools and materials for IG activities 3 3 beneficiaries were selected, purchases planned for May/April 2010

“KNOWLEDGE IS POWER” The prevention of HIV&AIDS and other infections in prisons Background: Many prisoners in BiH have drug dependency problems and prisons do not have any kind of intervention services for the prevention of HIV&AIDS and professionals in these institutions have a low level of knowledge about drug addiction and HIV&AIDS.  BiH prisons are overcrowded and located in old buildings with poor sanitary conditions, thus contributing to a rapid spreading of infections. Furthermore, prisons in BiH are very closed structures making them difficult for intervention by NGOs. To combat this problem a Consortium of NGOs: Association Margina in Zenica, Viktorija in Banja Luka and UG PROI and XY in Sarajevo under Sida NGO Trust Fund and financial support from Partnerships in Health devised this project titled “Knowledge is Power.” The main goal of the project was the prevention of HIV&AIDS and other infections in prisons by improving the knowledge of prison staff and inmates. Duration: June 2008 - June 2009 (Project extended until end February 2010 with NGO Association Margina only) Target groups: Our target groups were: Non-Medical staff in prisons in BiH (Sarajevo, Mostar, Foca, Doboj, Banja Luka, Tuzla I Zenica) Prisoners, especially injecting drug users  Budget: 15,000 euro Baseline information: Drug addiction is a global problem that is closely related to pandemics and infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C. Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the middle of a well-known Balkan route through which huge quantities of narcotics get transported from Middle and Far East intoCentral and West Europe. These smuggling operations which involve drug and human trafficking are constantly increasing. It is estimated that that there are between 6,000-10,000 users of injection drugs in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In the past couple of years the age of drug users, especially injecting drug users (IDUs), compared to the previous years, has been getting lower and lower to now include children as young as 13 or 14 years old. Around 70% of IDUs use joint needles. Most drug consumers mentioned frequent sexual contact when under influence of drugs while 70% of them sometimes or never use condoms during sex. 70% of IDUs think that they are not exposed to the risk of getting HIV/AIDS while 62% do not think that their drug consumption is a problem (source drug users questioned by UNICEF). Activities: The NGOs organized training for inmates and professionals who work in prisons in BIH. These trainings covered topics like basic information about HIV, HCV, HBV and drug abuse, way of transmission, means of protection, effective interventions focused on harm reduction and safer sexual behaviors in prisons, testing prisoners on HIV and other infections and counseling skills. After training, prison staff began drug addiction and HIV prevention activities and the NGOs   provided necessary supplies such as condoms, lubricants and educative material for reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C transmission in prisons.   VCT - voluntary, confidential counseling and testing on HIV and Hepatitis C was also organised for prisoners as part of preventive measures. Results from the Consortium: ·         175 staff trained on IDU, HIV ·         558 IDU prisoners educated ·         551 received pre test counseling ·         509 tested for HIV, none positive ·         404 received post test counseling ·         1,233 brochures to staff ·         2,533 brochures to prisoners ·         11 trainings conducted in prison ·         66 HCV+ out of 415 tested ·         1 HBV+ out of 352 tested One of the NGOs Association Margina, extended this project until the end of February 2010.  Working with Tuzla, Mostar, Zenica and Doboj prisons, they organized a training needs assessment and followed up with workshops and then pre- and post-test assessments.  Additional Results for Association Margina: -        51 prison staff and 120 inmates were informed and educated on HIV -        Informal talks and educational materials enabled 200 inmates to be made aware of their HIV status and where applicable Hep B, C and TB status -        187 VCT tests were carried out -        Distribution of 4000 workshop manuals for inmates and non-medical prison staff -        4000 condoms and 1000 lubricants distributed  This project has shown that such organized and professional work in the prison system can lead to improvements in the health condition of inmates, improved health conditions in the institution and a reduction of stigmatization in prisons. This project contributed to a better health status and education level of prisons population and prison staff. http://www.ugproi.com/ http://ba.linkedin.com/pub/ngo-viktorija-banja-luka/17/669/496

Citizens Association for the Support, Treatment & Re-socialization of Drug Addicts (UGPROI)   Background: UG PROI derived the need for this project through direct contact with all of the involved parties concerning drug abuse. Through work with the Narcotics Anonymous group, their families and our unique work with the detoxification ward at Kosevo hospital understanding of their needs and fears have been developed. UG PROI has actively sought co-operation with a wide variety of organizations, both in B&H, Croatia and abroad that deal with drug abuse. Through established links with the medical staff at the Detoxification Ward of Kosevo hospital UG PROI was informed by Dr. Marjanovic, who is a neuropsychiatry specialist in the field of addiction with over 20 years professional experience in the field of treating addiction at Kosevo hospital, that the addicts believe themselves to be at minimal risk from HIV/AIDS. Dr. Marjanović informed that they perceive the level of threat posed to them by HIV/AIDS as one on a scale of 1 – 10, meaning the lowest risk group. This clearly demonstrates the need for increased awareness among the IDU community of addicts in HIV/AIDS and STD education. Therefore this project was a response to more than 3 years contact and feedback from IDU and other drug users, institutions and organizations that deal with drug abuse and prevention and recovery programs. The need and method to educate IDU about the dangers of all forms of drug abuse and infectious diseases is therefore derived from its consequences. The project was comprised of a number of interdependent elements, which aim to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS infection amongst IDUs in B&H. The operation of a 24- hour help-line provided access to available programs for anyone concerned about drug abuse and/or HIV/AIDS. Prevention through education aimed at the support of self-help groups to assist addicts and their families. Counselling programs supported the work of medical institutions and help addicts to achieve a sustained recovery over a lengthy period. A retreat program aimed specifically at helping addicts in recovery make the transition from detoxification therapy back into their community and lead them into long-term recovery and educated them with basic knowledge about HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C. This also applied to family members who have to understand the nature of the addiction and the road to recovery. The retreat activities were central to the sustainability of the rehabilitation treatment and did not only help to keep the former addicts drug-free, but also assisted in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. In addition, UG PROI produced 1,000 leaflets focused on HIV/AIDS prevention among the IDU community in Bosnia and Herzegovina and highlights the services and assistance provide. Therefore the project incorporated the full cycle of tools aimed at reducing the spread HIV/AIDS and drug addiction through support mechanisms and presenting what can be done to help addicts change the course of their lives. Education on the danger of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases contracted, directly or indirectly, through the use of intravenous drugs was aimed at reducing the rapid spread of drug addiction in B&H.   Start date: July 2004   Anticipated duration of project: 12 months   Target Groups: Primary target group is at least 150 IDUs from Sarajevo Canton. Other concerned individuals and groups are indirect beneficiaries   Budget: Euro 20.866,78   Baseline information:   Help line: In pre-project period organization registered approximately 100 calls per month. The issues off those calls were various, i.e. network with other similar organizations and groups and questions related to UG PROI activities at that period.   Training to UG PROI staff on HIV/AIDS issues: No HIV/AIDS training was delivered to UG PROI staff before the start of the project   Educational material: There was no any brochure dedicated to IDUs previously the project   Counselling sessions at the detoxification ward of Kosevo hospital: Due to financial constraints counselling sessions were cancelled shortly before project starts.   Counselling and support of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) group: NA meetings were held on irregular basis before project start, approximately twice a month   Retreat program: No retreat program devoted to HIV/AIDS and IDUs issues ever organized in B&H.   Press conference: UG PROI didn’t organize any press conference related to HIV/AIDS before the project.   Result to-date: Help line: Since from the start of the project organization has registered 1100 calls that were related to project’s goals and its activities. Training to UG PROI staff on HIV/AIDS issues: Eight members of UG PROI staff took part in three trainings delivered by peer educators from Association XY and professionals from Koševo Hospital. Trainings increase capacity within the UG PROI staff and volunteers to create solutions and offer practical advice to people who seek qualified assistance concerning HIV/AIDS and IDU and understanding of the issue of HIV/AIDS. Knowledge gains on training increase ability to provide up to date information on the spread of HIV/AIDS and drug addiction through new methodology. In reported period organization served 150 clients. Educational material: 1000 educational brochures titled “If so, than you must know” and five jumbo posters were printed and delivered to project’s beneficiaries. This was the very first brochure ever made in B&H, dedicated to intravenous drug addicts. Counselling sessions at the detoxification ward of Kosevo hospital: Up to period of October 2005 UG PROI counsellors held 50 counselling sessions with inpatients of detoxification ward of Kosevo Hospital, as well as with social workers and director of the ward. More than 80 patients attend the meetings. Topics related to reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS and drug addiction were elaborated. During the meetings in hospital’s detoxification ward and related materials were distributed to all participants. Counselling and support of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) group: 96 Narcotics Anonymous 12-step meetings were organized in 15-month period as a part of expected project results. Meetings adopts self-help concept of recovery of drug-addicted persons. Every meeting gathered up to 8 addicts in recovery and/or those seeking for the first time help. More than 50 addicts went through meetings. Since we targeted 30 IDUs to attend meetings, we surmount our target. Retreat program: Five retreat programs were organized and more than 30 intravenous drug users took part in it. The target was 40 IDUs. We did not achieve planed target due to lack of accommodation capacity of UG PROI therapeutic centre in Kakanj. Addicts took part in retreat greatly increase awareness of the threat of HIV/AIDS infection through the use of intravenous drugs, sharing needles and they gain other practical advice on how to reduce the level of risk. Specialist in the field in drug addiction, teachers of spirituality, and specialist in cognitive-behavioural therapy as well as peer educators on HIV/AIDS issue delivered seminars to the participants of retreats. Press conference: Press conferences were organized in September 2004 in Novi Grad Municipality pressroom. Dr. Snjezana Marjanovic-Cengic, Samir Ibisevic and Amer Rastoder present the project on behalf of UG PROI. Representatives of the FTV1 (television of B&H Federation), the Sarajevo Canton TV, and B&H Radio 1 attended the press conference. All journalists received press package of materials used in project. The same day, records from press conference were shown during the most watched informational TV shows (“Federation Today” and “News at 19.30”). It is worth to mention participation of UG PROI staff in morning broadcasting show (Sept 24.) on FTV1, were the project and its activities were presented.   Non-anticipated benefits (co-financing, new partnerships etc.): As a most significant non-anticipated benefit we can list knowledge, which UG PROI got through different conferences, training ad workshops within the project. UG PROI becomes an active member of CCM-Country Coordinating Mechanism for preparing application to Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS. Drug free treatment program is established through so called Therapeutic Community Model. UG PROI gained skills and prepared project proposal to implement first harm-reduction program in Canton of Sarajevo.

Association for support of people living with HIV/AIDS; APOHA   Background: Even though Bosnia and Herzegovina is still viewed as a country with low HIV/AIDS prevalence, considering the fact that country is still facing problems such as unemployment, poverty, and poor situation in health sector is influencing undesirable life styles that contribute to HIV/AIDS epidemic, having the biggest impact to the vulnerable groups.   Registering of the cases started in 1986 when first AIDS case was registered, process that was active until the war in the country. From 1992 until the 2002 due to the war situation and problems of reestablishment of the registry, not the mention the political problems in the country, the system fell apart.   Some of the cases were lost, blood for transfusions during the war not properly tested, foreign forces and difficult life situation contributed to prostitution, while after the war we also experienced incensement of the trafficking problem.   During the 2004 the country worked on revision of the registry that started in 1986, when first AIDS case was registered, at the end of 2004 revision showed the number of 101 positive persons.   In the January of 2005, through entire B&H Ministries of Health opened centres for voluntary, confidential, counselling and testing which contributed to the incensement of the testing itself and the number of HIV positive people from 101 to 107 so far, number that sill does not represent the through situation in the country.   The biggest problem that this country faces is treatment problem. Costs for the ARV therapy are covered by the state’s Solidarity Fund, but only for the Federal part of the country while patients in RS have to pay for the same. There are some cases of free medicaments in the RS, however those cases are sporadic and represent an ethical dilemma for their doctors that cannot start the therapy and then end it abruptly because in that way they would be triggering patient’s resistance to the combinations available. Check ups and treatment are being administered only by two clinics in Federation and one in RS, which makes it difficult for the PLWHA, who are incidentally mostly social cases to handle the costs of the transportations again something that state does not provide for beside regular social checks.   Following the situation in the country, Association XY established Association for support of PLWHA during the 2004 as an organization that focuses directly on the needs and support of this population group.   Goals of the APOHA are set as follows: psychosocial support of the people living with HIV/AIDS and their families education of people living with HIV/AIDS and their families advocacy for the rights and needs of the PLWHA fight against prejudices and discrimination education of professionals (ex. health workers) provision of the newest information regarding HIV/AIDS and STIs fight for improvement of the treatment, care and access to quality medical services education of the general population We exist as the only and unique organization, on the territory of B&H dealing exclusively with PLWHA, their rights, support and education.   So far we have achieved results that are quite admirable, if we take into account the fact that our country is closed and that we still have a problem with confidentiality among doctors and patients. So far we have achieved a very close relationship with coordinators for fight against HIV/AIDS in a sense of information exchange and cooperation in development of IEC material, as mentioned above.   Increase in the number of PLWHA members is a great achievement, and speaks a lot about our work; we have 9 members, something that we are proud of. We have also established a telephone line for support of people living with HIV/AIDS and information for general public that started its work in the first half of the July.   Considering the results achieved APOHA faced the problem of lack of staff due to the fact, that in the first phase of the project the staff was mostly XY’s, beside that we are also sharing the office space with XY and using their resources free of charge. For this all, in the future period we need a strong capacity building in order to continue achieving positive results and maintain their quality, through which we would be able to run activities ourselves and achieve sustainability.   Project Title: Support of PLWHA through Capacity Building of APOHA   Start date: February 2006   Anticipated duration of project: From 1st of February 2006 to 1st of November 2006   Target Groups: Persons who are living HIV/AIDS Families of persons who are living with HIV/AIDS Health workers General population Budget: Partnership for Health 16 502.56 EURO   Funding from other sources 1. Association XY: 3,000.00 EURO 2. World Version : 1,710.00 EURO   Total Project Budget: 21,212.56 EURO   Baseline information: Association for support of people living with HIV/AIDS; APOHA was established in 2004 by Association for sexual and reproductive health XY in Sarajevo, as a non governmental, non-profitable and non-political organization working on the territory of entire B&H.   APOHA’s work, from the beginning, has been focused on work with PLWHAs and their need, advocacy for protection of their human rights, fight for better and more accessible medical treatment and care, access to quality information’s and education for PLWHAs and general population.   Project of establishment was focused on initial establishment of organization, basic trainings of the staff, creation of the link with coordinators and infectologists and work with PLWHAs.   So far we have made strong connections with coordinators for fight against HIV/AIDS (Federation of B&H and Republika of Srpska) through meetings and cooperation in development of IEC material, while contacts and meetings with infectologists have been made with goal to make a connection with their PLWHAs patients. Through these meetings we have established APOHA as an organization that can and is willing to provide help for PLWHAs and our effort and quality of work was recognized by doctors that have linked us directly to their patients, so that we right now have 9 PLWHA members.   In the light of work done so far, APOHA needs stronger capacity resources in order to achieve sustainability that is so much needed for organization working with PLWHAs who has to have a continuation in its work considering the fact that our members depend on us in the sense of psychological and, in some cases social help, both which are most important components of our work and once stopped are hard to be restarted because they are based on trust.   Result to-date: Contacts and meetings with infectologists and local coordinators for fight against HIV/AIDS Survey and monitoring the media Reprinting of the IEC material and its distribution Updates on web page Treatment support for PLWHA Training for representatives of mass medias Finalization and printing of the brochure „Professional risk: Working with PLWHA“ for health workers Contacts with PLWHA members Training for PLWHA members and their families Non-anticipated benefits (co-financing, new partnerships etc.): During the 2005 we have received a small grant from World Bank through which we have established a telephone line for psychological support of PLWHA and information regarding testing and HIV/AIDS for general population. During the realization of certain activities we have made financial surpluses that were allocated for support of our PLWHA members.   In the beginning of 2006 we have applied for a grant given by Canadian CIDA: “Partnership of non-governmental and governmental sector in prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS on local level”.

VICTORIJA ORGANIZATION   Organizational Background:  "Citizen's association "Viktorija" is society, established in 2002, for the benefit and interest of citizens, and other organisations and associations primarily with an objective of preventive quenching of drug addiction, expert treatment and re-socialization of alcohol, drug and other addicts, in the area of city of Banja Luka, territory of Republic of Srpska and respectively Bosnia and Herzegovina. Primary field of action is implementation of activities in community, which, other than providing direct aid and assistance to addicts with an objective of their recovery and re-socialization, treats prevention of drug addiction. The most significant implemented projects:  “ Choose Life” focused on opening of Daily living room for addiction with an objective of their treatment and preparation for entrance to Therapeutic community; “Hope” project on HIV/AIDS prevention in hazardous group of drug addicts; "Drug Stop" project on increasing awareness of young people on adversity and consequences of drug consuming.   Project Title: LIFE   Anticipated duration of project August 1, 2004 -  June 1, 2005   Target Groups: Intravenous Drug Users and their families   Budget: 19, 971 Euro (Partnerships in Health)   Baseline information: Through the SOS phone line, 1000 people get first hand information on HIV/AIDS and addiction diseases (Viktorija's intention was to prevent such diseases and plan further treatment of addicts); Psycho-social counselling of 200 addicts about narcotic addiction and 300 family members, recognized as a high-risk group for Hepatitis B, C and HIV/AIDS; Testing of high-risk addicts for hepatitis B, C and HIV/AIDS; Educational sessions about HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C (manners of transmission, risks and prevention); Distributing 600 pieces of promotional material, leaflets and pamphlets; Organizing seminars for NGOs of B&H territory aiming towards better cooperation and coordination among NGOs; Active participation at seminars and workshops related to HIV/AIDS and drug addiction; Media participation (once per month in electronic media - TV and radio, and once per month in newspapers); Education of 20 educators who will raise the awareness of society about HIV/AIDS, diseases of addiction and consequences related to those diseases.   Result to-date: Phone calls: 659; Psychotherapeutic sessions:  583; Group therapies:  92 sessions; Testing on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C:  87 (25 positive on Hepatitis C, 3 on Hepatitis B, no case of HIV/AIDS presence).  This fits with the overall 2 HIV+ cases, at the country level, coming from IDUs community. 35 new IDUs have entered program in the therapeutic community; 22 media presentations; 32 lectures for students, 2 for police inspectors and 1 for NGOs representatives on prevention of HIV/AIDS within the IDUs population.