HIV/AIDS Prevention Services for Street Based Sex Workers and their clients, Package #SP-2

Name of the Project:

HIV / AIDS Prevention Services for Street Based Sex Workers and their clients, Package # SP -2

Supported by:

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare , National AIDS STD  Programme of  Bangladesh,

Funded by: World Bank

Implementing  by:  YPSA Consortium

Consortium Partners: Nari UnnayaonShakti (NUS), Light House & Young Power in Social Action(YPSA)

Lead Organization: YPSA

Duration of the Project: November 21, 2012 to November 20, 2015

Working Areas:

• Cox’s Bazar
• Dhaka
• Hili
• Jessore
• Rajshahi

Major component of the program are:

Setting up of Drop in Centers, providing Health Education including STD, HIV, AIDS awareness program, condom promotion, Voluntary counseling and testing, creating alternative scope for income generation through skill training, introducing adult non formal literacy program, organizing training for SBSW & their clients & peer outreach workers. Arranging different issue based advocacy with the civil society, community, law enforcement agency, local authorities and media will be sensitized and motivated to reduce harassment

•Mapping/identification of target population: Considering the number of population to be reached in each DIC, a mapping exercise would be done to update and or enlist uncovered population.  And through regular field visits by the concerned staff the list will be revisited to further check the accuracy and updated accordingly. Based on the degree of vulnerability and other factors the project will cover the given targeted population i,e, 1500 Street Based Sex Workers and their Client. Outreach supervisor and the peer educator with the assistance of peer volunteers will time to time update the list throughout the project period. All the ethical issues will be maintained so that targeted population is not stigmatized.

•Recreational, bathing and drinking facilities: Apart from prevention service, services to be   included to improve the physical and mental human condition of the sex workers. These will ensure recreational activities that build skills and promote recreation opportunities; resting/sleeping mats, drinking water etc.

•Form Project Facilitation Committee: The Project Facilitation Committee (PFC) is comprised of local community members, professionals, elected officials, law enforcement agencies. Each DIC will initiate to form a team within first quarter of the project. In order to create a supportive environment for HIV and STI prevention through social mobilization the Joint Venture will plan to form a Project Facilitation Team. The PFC will have one Chairperson, two Vice Chairpersons, One Secretary and seven to nine members. PFC will meet quarterly for a few hours at a suitable venue organized by joint venture members.

•Peer based Outreach Activities: Outreach workers will be supported by peer educators, who will be selected from the same group e.g SBSW. Both staff will be provided very basic training on STD/HIV/AIDS. Their work place will be in and around the different parts of the town. They will attend the DICs in the morning and make field visit as per schedule for a certain period and later back to DICs. They will use monitoring formats both at the field and at DIC level and at the end of the month submit to DIC Managers for further processing. The major outreach activities will be as follows:

             Identify the STD patients and refer to DIC for treatment

             Follow up the patients for compliance to drugs

             Conduct one to one and group education

             Provide counselling as per need

             Distribute condom to the targeted population

             Demonstrate the proper and correct use of condom

             Conduction of peer education on batches

             Help to increase the health seeking behavior of the targeted population

             Encourage the targeted population for partner treatment

             Everyday distribution of condom

•BCC session on HIV-AIDS and STI: The principle aim at such program is to aware and educate, and to motivate the Street based sex workers and their clients about the risks and consequences of HIV/AIDS & STIs/RTIs as well as the social & personal values of their own, danger of addiction and unsafe sex, personal hygiene on sound health practices etc. These sessions would conventionally be conducted by the Out Reach workers & Peer Educators

•Condom Promotion: In fact, respective outreach workers would promote condom among their own communities and at the same time, they would also sell condoms to the target community . Some depot holders would be made available in and around the potential locations as the part of condom promotion. In this connection, the outreach workers of the DICs would carry out continuous motivation program among the stakeholders. Case by case, the outreach workers would also demonstrate the proper use of condom through supplied penis model.

•Selection and Training of Peer Educator: Extensive training would be provided to the Peer Educators (PE) separately as they would be picked up from the same folk of their own. PE is the key players for achieving ultimate goal of the proposed project. The number of training program would be set depending on the number of individuals to be included and considering the felt needs of them as well. A total 50 numbers of peers would be developed throughout the whole time-span of the project.

•Diagnosis & treatment of STI: Medicare facilities would be ensured for the target population at the DIC. Part time Medical Officer would be assigned to do so. Important basic clinical facilities along with essential drugs would be made available to meet this purpose. The Medical Officer would provide treatment for both STD and general patients to the SW and their Client in daily basis as needed. They would maintain standard SMx to treat the STD patients and would refer serious cases (those are not manageable locally) to the proper consultants in the nearest district-level medical hospital as applicable.

•Referral for VCT sessions: HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services provide a comfortable entry point to STI/SRH/ HIV/AIDS prevention and care and support and in case of infected and affected individuals. It is an essential component of HIV prevention efforts. VCT brings positive health seeking behavioral changes among the SBSW and their clients. This service will ensure through DICs in once a week and 10% of the total population during the project period will be covered. It is experienced and proved now a day VCT has become an urgent priority to STI/SRH/HIV infected patients.

•Counselling session: A part from counseling STI/SRH/HIV treatment will remain incomplete. To reducing stigma and increasing acceptance amongst them counseling works as turning point of in the life of SBSW. A trained counselor will conduct the session in DIC in a regular basis and PE & OW workers will encourage the SBSW and the client to attend the counseling sessions. If necessary it can be extended to their families as applicable.

•Sexual health check-up sessions: It is a common picture that women are not open to disclose about their sexual health with others. There are some superstitions prevailing among the SBSW groups and fear of losing business also put nutrition to avoid sexual health check up. In addition ignorance and negligence about their own health putting them in to health hazard. The project plan to conduct health check up of SBSW at least once in a month within the DICs by Medical Officer and paramedics. Peer Educators & Outreach Workers will encourage the SBSW to attend the Sexual Health check up session.

•Human rights and life skill including basic education: Basic humanitarian issues would be practiced in order to restore the social values as well as to make sure the dignity of the target communities as they are currently treated as marginalized and underprivileged community. This session will be conducted fortnightly with 15 person each. And at the same time basic literacy will be given to the targeted community

•Formation of self-help groups: Self Help Groups is to form a platform where the persons came from same feather & get involve themselves for creating environment that kick start of own voices. The platform will help to SBSW rights, reducing negative attitude among common people, gender & policy issues. The project will look out the present situation of other SHG of SW, PLHA & IDUs. A governing body will be form among the same folk and an advisory Committee will form involving local power structure. At least two SHG will be formed and activated during the project period

•Treatment for general ailment and referral service: The targeted population is out receiving health services from mainstreaming of health services. Negative attitude discourages them to avail services and cost of services also beyond the capacity. Ignorance about health is also another factor that keeps behind them. The project will ensure regular health checkup and by rotation all targeted persons will be covered. Services will be available every day as needed by sex workers.

•Advocacy with Target Community and their associated Stakeholders: Advocacy on the basic fact of HIV/AIDS and STIs/RTIs to the target communities as well as their allied stakeholders would be provided on regular basis at the DICs as well as by calling on to their own places considering the effectiveness of such programs. These stakeholders would be the community leaders of the respective target community with including their associated community like policemen, shop owners, local community leaders, drug-sellers, wine sellers, hotel boy and so forth. In this advocacy program, the target community would also be learnt on the traffic rules and other related issues. Yearly 2 meeting in each DIC will be organized.

•Partners/Client tracing: Treatment Partners of SBSW are also vital part for completing full package of STI/SRH services. Without partners (sexual) treatment there are every possibilities for re-infection. In this case tracing partners is very important. Outreach Workers are responsible to identify the partners of SBSW and encourage them to attend the DIC for attending Health education session, counseling and taking treatment as advice by Medical Offices.

•Coordination Meeting and review meeting: Total 12 quarterly coordination meeting with project staff will be held for sharing experiences and discussion on progress of project activities. Besides, yearly review meeting will be held in three years. Through this review meeting all project activities will be reviewed and next year planning will be chalked up.

•Establishment of Network with other GO/NGO Bodies: Due effort would be given to establish a well organized network between the implementing agencies and other GO/NGO bodies working in the same location so that sharing of experiences & explored information and increasing of communication with each other can help to run the project smoothly. At the same time, the whole activities to be done through this project would keep some sort of contribution to enhance the national policy regarding STD&HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities.

•   Observation of World AIDS Day and other days & events: As a part of activities YPSA joint venture will observe the World AIDS Day (yearly one) and Women’s day including WHD & events along with the govt. of Bangladesh/NASP/ initiatives to celebrate these days.

Name of Contact person:

Ms.Khaleda Begum

Team Leader

YPSA

Event news

• Sensitization Meeting on Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights for Young People held
• YPSA observes Human Rights Day 2015 in Chittagong
• Sensitization meeting on “Better Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights for Young People Affected by HIV” held
• MOU signed between YPSA and International HIV AIDS Alliance
• Sensitization meeting on Better Sexual and Reproductive Health held
• YPSA observed Human Rights Day 2014
• World AIDS Day 2014 observed in Chittagong
• Divisional coordination meeting with HASAB, Marie Stopes and Link Up partners held
• YPSA observed World Population Day 2014
• Advocacy meeting on SRH held at Cox’sbazar
• Advocacy meeting on “Better Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights for Young People Affected by HIV” held