The project aims to increase the participation of gay
men and other MSM in national HIV/AIDS policy discussions, with particular
emphasis on the National Council Against AIDS and the Country Coordinating
Mechanism of the Global Fund in Burundi. MOLI will focus its efforts on the
inclusion of MSM as a priority in various plans, including revising national
standards for HIV prevention materials, as well as working to ensure greater
government support.
Health Options for Young Men on HIV, AIDS and STIs (HOYMAS) (Nairobi,
Kenya) $20,000
Awareness, Capacity Building, and Treatment/Care
The project will provide male sex workers (MSW) living
with HIV with HIV prevention and treatment information. These peer educators
will in turn perform outreach work among fellow MSW in Nairobi, distributing
informational materials, and providing referrals for testing and treatment.
Additionally, HOYMAS will develop a website to disseminate HIV information,
promote its services, and further engage and educate MSW in Kenya.
Center for the Development of People (CEDEP) (Lilongwe, Malawi) $20,000
Evidence-Based, Targeted HIV Prevention Project The project will train peer educators on new and
effective HIV prevention methods and will distribute condoms and lubricant in
Lilongwe. Additionally, CEDEP will train workers at private and public health
centers to provide health care services that are inclusive of MSM health needs,
as well as strengthen referral systems to promote use of MSM-friendly HIV
services.
WhyCan’tWeGetMarried.com (WCWGMC) (Freetown, Sierra Leone) $10,000
Breaking Down Taboos and Raising HIV/AIDS Awareness Among MSM
The project will work with MSM and transgender
populations to strengthen HIV/AIDS knowledge, distribute condoms and lubricant,
and promote HIV testing with street theater techniques. To inform these
outreach efforts, the organization will implement a knowledge, attitude, and
practice (KAP) study to gauge the level of knowledge in these populations. The
results of this study will be used to advocate with decision makers on
improving support for MSM- and transgender-specific health services in Sierra
Leone.
Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) (Johannesburg, South Africa)
$15,000
See It, Sign It, Share It! Using Arts to Build Deaf MSM/TG Leadership on
HIV Prevention in SA
The project will use an arts-based approach to engage deaf MSM and
transgender individuals in addressing HIV issues in the Gauteng Province of
South Africa. After completion of a training course in creating artistic behavior-change
communication materials, GALA will work with participants to prepare and
present advocacy presentations for various stakeholders, raising awareness and
support for HIV programming among deaf MSM and transgender communities.
Espoir Vie Togo (EVT) (Lomé, Togo) $17,456
Ahoefa – The House of Peace
The project will help create the first-ever safe space
for LGBT people and other MSM in Togo. Ahoefa
– The House of Peace will provide access to psychosocial support, HIV
testing and counseling, prevention discussion groups, condoms, and lubricant.
The project will also provide financial support for scholarships for deserving
students, micro-credit programs, and vocational skills training. EVT will
engage policy makers, media representatives, religious leaders, and health care
workers in discussions about stigma and homophobia and their effects on HIV
vulnerabilities among LGBT people and other MSM.
Icebreakers Uganda (Kampala, Uganda) $12,500
Icebreakers Uganda MSM Initiative
The project will provide a holistic approach to HIV
services for MSM, including HIV education, counseling and testing, and health
and rights awareness. Icebreakers will also provide online outreach to MSM who
are not able to access the Icebreakers community center. They will train peer
leaders to conduct advocacy work with key decision makers, including police
officers, to address stigma and discrimination in Uganda.
Beijing Ark of Love PLWHA Supporting Group (Beijing, China) - $15,000
HIV Prevention and Empowerment Among Serodiscordant MSM Couples in China
This direct service project will address the HIV prevention needs of HIV serodiscordant MSM couples (i.e., one partner is HIV-positive and the other HIV-negative). Through a series of self-help sessions and discussions focusing on healthy relationships and positive sexuality among people living with HIV/AIDS, a training program and brochures will be developed to reach MSM directly in Beijing. The program will also serve as a model to be used throughout China.
GZTZ.org (Guangzhou, China) - $12,000
Internet-Based Advocacy and Empowerment of Sexual Health Rights for MSM Youth
This direct service and advocacy project will influence the Guangdong MSM Internet community, working to reduce self-discrimination and self-stigma, as well as promoting sexual rights and gender identity. Utilizing MSM “oral histories,” the project aims to promote health, reduce HIV/STI risk behavior, and provide a programmatic base to halt the HIV epidemic.
PT Foundation (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) – $18,600
MSM and TG Sexual Health Profile Study in Kuala Lumpur
This community-led research project aims to estimate the seroprevalence of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B in the high-risk segment of the MSM population of Kuala Lumpur. Utilizing a clinic-based sample, the project will also provide free treatment or vaccinations, where appropriate.
AIDS Awareness Society (AAS) (Lahore, Pakistan) - $19,148
Capacity-Building of Transgender Alliance in Pakistan/Ittehad Bara-e-Haqooq-e-Khawaja Sira, Pakistan
Responding to a newly formed alliance of transgender persons – Ithad Bara-e-Haqooq-e-Khawaja Sira, Pakistan (IBHKSP) – this direct service and capacity-building project will build the skill sets of transgender community leaders to promote health and self-help while also addressing other social, political, and economic issues. Through this work, the group hopes to become a unified voice for transgender rights in Pakistan.
Vietnamese Community Mobilisation Center for HIV/AIDS Control (VICOMC) – (Hanoi, Vietnam) - $19,700
Hanoi Transgender Women's Support and HIV Prevention Project
This direct service project aims to reduce the risk of HIV infection among transgender women in Hanoi by creating a supportive environment for them, increasing their HIV/AIDS knowledge and skills, and working to make HIV/AIDS services more accessible by reducing stigma attached to transgender women.
Chengdu Gay Care (Chengdu, China) - $19,970
PCA, Empowerment, Advocacy: Improve the Living Status of TG in Chengdu, China
This research, direct service, and advocacy project will implement a participatory community assessment of the transgender community in Chengdu, and work to establish the first formalized transgender community-based organization in China. The project will also promote the inclusion of transgender persons in the local and national HIV/AIDS prevention strategies.
Name Withheld (Sri Lanka) - $15,567
HIV Intervention in Male Massage Centers
The organization will work with owners and workers of male massage centers in a major Sri Lankan city to increase knowledge and reduce risk behavior related to HIV/STIs. Male masseur leaders and managers will be trained to carry out the program in the future, including linkages to regular HIV/STI testing mechanisms and access to condoms and lubricants. Finally, the organization will also share lessons learned from the project in discussions with national HIV/AIDS coordinating agencies.
The Human Rights Education Institute of Burma (HREIB) – Chiang Mai/Ranong, Thailand - $19,958
Supporting Burmese MSM Migrant Workers in Southern Thailand – Year 2
This direct service project aims to support peer educators who are currently teaching sexual health-related knowledge and risk-reduction skills, increasing access to healthcare and vocational training, and promoting basic human rights among Burmese migrant MSM and transgender persons living in Ranong, Thailand.
Antigua Resilience Collective Inc. (ARC) (St. John’s,
Antigua and Barbuda) - $10,000
Working Together to Enhance the MSM Community in
Antigua and Barbuda
This
project aims to increase HIV testing for gay men, other MSM, and transgender
people through peer outreach (condom, lubricant, and behavior change
communication material distribution) and referrals. In addition, ARC will build
the leadership skills of LGBT individuals to advocate for their own rights,
focusing on media advocacy.
Collaborative Network of Persons Living with HIV
(CNET+) (Benque Viejo, Belize) - $19,697
Scaling Up the Quality and Quantity of Life of MSM
Living with HIV in Belize
This
project will train MSM living with HIV to be peer educators and advocates,
reaching other MSM living with HIV through home visits and cell phone texting
reminders. CNET+ will offer prevention peer counseling to improve antiretroviral
(ARV) adherence, promote positive health (including condom use), and increase
knowledge of human rights.
Grupo Este Amor (La Romana, Dominican Republic) -
$19,908
Empowering Male Sex Workers and Transgender
Populations in San Pedro de Macoris
This
transgender-specific project will help transgender women achieve economic
independence by providing HIV prevention education and small business skills.
Grope Este Amor will train transgender stylists who will double as health agents
to their clients, providing HIV prevention information and condoms, and
encouraging HIV testing and referrals.
Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL) (Kingston,
Jamaica) - $20,000
Deepening Outreach to Hearing Impaired MSM in
Jamaica
This
project builds upon previous amfAR awards to provide stigma-free HIV prevention
and treatment services to hearing impaired (HI) MSM throughout Jamaica, as well
as sign language support during medical and psychosocial support sessions. JASL
will also provide formal sign language training and offer literacy and
information technology training for HI MSM in an effort to increase their
autonomy.
Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals & Gays
(JFLAG) (Kingston, Jamaica) - $20,000
Fight the Hate: Mitigating Risks and Enabling Safe
Spaces for LGBT Jamaicans
This
project, a continuation of previous amfAR funding, will work to reduce the
spread of HIV by advocating with health care providers, governmental officials,
and key politicians to understand the link between legislation that criminalizes
same sex sexual behavior and HIV prevalence among gay men, other MSM, and
transgender individuals.
PRIDE In Action (Kingston, Jamaica) -
$12,495
Leadership Development and Social Support for
Tertiary LGBT in Jamaica
This
project will educate Jamaican LGBT youth through peer support group meetings to
discuss sexual health and HIV prevention, among other topics. The project will
also develop young leaders to facilitate discussions and promote advocacy work
among LGBT Jamaican youth.
United and Strong Inc. (Gros Islet, St. Lucia) -
$10,000
Challenging Self Stigma and Discrimination While
Raising Awareness
This
project will build upon previous amfAR support to increase the capacity and
effectiveness of peer outreach activities. United and Strong will assess how
LGBT people are affected by stigma and discrimination. Based on results, United
and Strong will develop a national media campaign (radio, television, and
Internet) to address LGBT-related stigma in St. Lucia.
Coalition Advocating for Inclusion of Sexual
Orientation (CAISO) (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) -
$10,000
Homophobia Causes AIDS. Organizing Can End
It.
Working in conjunction with the
National HIV Human Rights Desk, this project will document human rights
violations and abuses on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
With such documentation, CAISO will file formal complaints to the Equal
Opportunity Commission and Police Complaints Authority.
Friends for Life (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago)
- $15,000
Improving the Service Delivery Model for GLBT, MSM/TG
& Male Sex Workers in Trinidad & Tobago
This
project will build upon a previous amfAR award, utilizing trained peer educators
to increase access to sexual health services (including HIV voluntary counseling
and testing) for LGBT individuals, other MSM, and transgender and male sex
workers. In addition, Friends for Life will provide capacity building and
behavior change promotion for transgender women through advocacy, health and
leadership workshops, and training sessions.
Tanadgoma – Center for Information and Counseling on Reproductive Health (Tbilisi, Georgia) - $19,970Access to HIV-Related Services for Transgender Individuals in the South Caucasus
Funded for a second year, Tanadgoma, as part of a sub-regional network of organizations in the South Caucasus, aims to increase understanding of transgender individuals’ needs in three countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia—through interviews. The resulting reports will be used to advocate for increased access to quality HIV prevention, treatment, and care services for transgender people, and greater transgender inclusion in programming focused on GMT.
Kyrgyz Indigo (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) - $19,663Bringing Safety and Security to the Local GBT CommunityIn their second year as an amfAR grantee, Kyrgyz Indigo will continue implementing programs serving ethnic Kyrgyz GMT individuals and will embark on a new project with the goal of increasing sexual health and personal safety skills for GMT. The project will promote tolerance among members of the military and police, as well as government officials and the media.
GENDERDOC-M Information Centre (Chisinau, Moldova) - $19,975Organizational and Educational Work with Third Age MSM: Our Response to HIV/AIDSGENDERDOC-M will pilot an innovative program engaging older (45+) GMT as part of an effort to reduce the spread and impact of HIV in three cities in Moldova. GENDERDOC-M will first assess the most urgent needs of older GMT, work to refine HIV services to meet those needs, and then advocate with government and other partners for increased attention to HIV services designed for older GMT individuals. GENDERDOC-M also expects to develop a model for other organizations in the region to emulate.
Safe Pulse of Youth (SPY) (Belgrade, Serbia) - $8,000Community-Based VCT for GMT in Belgrade as an Additional Measurement for HIV PreventionAn amfAR grantee for a third year, SPY will use promotional leaflets and posters, social media, and other Internet-based content to promote safer sex and increase utilization of a GMT-specific drop-in center. SPY will also provide social support, quality HIV prevention services, and referrals for treatment and palliative care, while scaling up HIV testing and counseling services in Belgrade.
Equal Opportunities (Dushanbe, Tajikistan) - $20,000Accessibility, Quality, and Reliability on Equal TermsNow in its third year of amfAR funding, Equal Opportunities will conduct sexual health workshops and outreach services at its information center in Dushanbe, which also serves as a safe space for GMT to gather and find social support. The organization will also continue to promote GMT-friendly health care settings through skills-building trainings with health care providers, and advocate for more sustainable political and financial support for their efforts.
Penitentiary Initiative (Nikolaev, Ukraine) - $15,000Increasing Access to HIV Prevention, Care, and Support for MSM in PrisonsThe Penitentiary Initiative will advocate on behalf of, and provide services for, “outcast” GMT in prison settings, including psychological support groups and individual counseling. The organization, which is receiving its fourth grant from amfAR, will also pilot new strategies (such as rapid HIV testing) in three prisons, as well as continue holding training seminars with Ministry of Justice officials on both medical and non-medical aspects of living with HIV.
Club Life+ (Odessa, Ukraine) - $20,000Medical and Social Support, HIV Prevention among Gay Men and MSMA new partner for amfAR, Club Life+ will implement a comprehensive sexual health promotion program for GMT, including those living with HIV. In addition to running a community center that provides social and psychological support, Club Life+ will conduct bi-monthly skills-building sessions for its members. This project will complement an initiative supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria that offers outreach services to GMT, including distribution of condoms and lubricant.
SOMOSGAY (Asunción, Paraguay) – $20,000
This project
is a continuation of past amfAR funding to increase voluntary counseling and
testing services to gay men, MSM and transgender people in and around Asuncion,
as well as treatment services and referrals for follow-up care. These health
services will be available at an MSM/transgender-specific community health
center, as well as through a mobile testing unit. SOMOSGAY will also work to
provide information on the intersections between health and human rights to
clients at their community health center.
Movimiento por la Diversidad
Sexual, MUMS (Santiago, Chile) – $20,000
Incidencia en los tomadores de
Decisiones para la Mejora de los presupuestos y políticas publicas de Prevención
en VIH/SIDA en Gays, Trans y otros HSH en Chile.
This advocacy project will
assess and document the current situation regarding health services and
resources available to gay men, MSM, and transgender people in three cities in
Chile. Through a series of workshops, MUMS will empower and build capacity
among their members on effective advocacy and policy strategies, in order to
advocate with key policy makers, other decision makers and the general public on
improved and sustained HIV/STI prevention and treatment for gay men, MSM, and
transgender people. MUMS will motivate their members to utilize various advocacy
strategies, including radio programs, social networking, media campaigns and
seminars.
Grupo Génesis Panamá Positivo (GGP+) (Panamá City, Panamá) –
$20,000
Comprehensive Care to Gay Men and MSM in the
Metropolitan Region of Panama.
This project is a continuation of past amfAR
funding to improve follow-up care services and case management by peer leaders
for MSM in Panama City. GGP+ will also promote treatment adherence, as well as
provide support groups for HIV+ individuals. Additionally, GGP+ will work to
increase testing and counseling services to other gay men and MSM who do not yet
know their HIV status.
Red nacional de Mujeres Travestis, Transgéneros y Transexuales de
Bolivia (RED TREBOL) (Cochabamba, Bolivia) – $20,000
Acceso
Universal para población Trans que se dedica al trabajo Sexual.
Led by and
for transgender women, this advocacy project will improve access to health
services and centers, treatment, and prevention for HIV and STIs for transgender
and transgender sex workers in La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, Bolivia. RED
TREBOL will engage local authorities and medical professionals, informing them
of the needs of transgender and transgender sex workers, as well as promoting
active participation of transgender women to become decision makers and leaders,
defenders of human rights and activists against transphobia.
Asociación Civil de Diversidad Sexual de la Región Callao (Alma Chalaca) (Callao, Peru) $10,985
Alma Chalaca: Innovative Workshops by and for MSM/Transgender PEPs in Lima/Callao, Peru.
Alma Chalaca will provide a series of workshops created by and for peer leaders to promote a greater sense of community support and provide a safe environment for GMT. The workshops will train a core group of 10 peer leaders, as well as others through existing community networks. The workshops will help educate GMT about resources in the community and about the role of stigma and discrimination in the spread of HIV, and will also provide peer-based mutual support and guidance to help GMT access HIV-related health services. After peers have been trained, Alma Chalaca will host various advocacy events with key stakeholders and decision makers in Peru.
San Martinense Diversity Association (DISAM) (Tarapoto, Peru) –
$20,000
Concertando Diversidades para La Prevención de VIH y
Promover Derechos Humanos para HSH en la Región San Martín.
This direct
service and advocacy project will identify barriers and opportunities in
accessing health services in three districts in San Martin province, Peru. Based
on the results of an initial situational analysis, DISAM will work with health
professionals to bridge the gaps in health services for gay men, MSM, and
transgender people, thereby increasing uptake of health services. Additionally,
DISAM will work with gay men, MSM, and transgender individuals to build
leadership and advocacy skills by increasing their self-esteem and knowledge of
human rights issues.
ALFIL Association, HGLBT, Identities in Dialogue (Quito, Ecuador)
– $19,530
Medical, Psychological and HIV/AIDS Prevention for
MSM. This direct service project will provide basic sexual health services
for gay men, MSM, and transgender people at the ALFIL community center, as well
as HIV testing and counseling services, support services for people living with
HIV, prevention information, and referrals for medical follow-up. Emphasis will
be placed on addressing risk factors that may lead to HIV transmission for MSM
and transgender populations. All services will be promoted and implemented by
peer educators.
Centro de Desarrollo e Investigación sobre Juventud, A.C. (Campeche,
México) – $15,615
Reaching young Mayan Indian Men who have Sex
with Men.
This direct service intervention aims to empower young gay Mayan
men through information on HIV prevention, sexual health discussions and
interviews, and self-efficacy strategies tailored to an indigenous population
context. The project will also generate evidence for effective HIV prevention
programs for young indigenous gay populations.
Fundación Llanto, Valor y Esfuerzo (LLAVES) (San Pedro Sula,
Honduras) – $19,450
Increased Participation of Trans People in
Public Policies on HIV/AIDS.
This advocacy project will work closely with
decision makers to amend the Honduran Special Law on HIV to include protection
for all citizens regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. LLAVES
will train and empower key transgender leaders to become educated in policy,
law, and human rights. Additionally, LLAVES will work with local media on issues
of HIV, human rights, and sexual diversity.
Asociación Silueta X (Guayaquil, Ecuador) –
$19,920
Analysis of Factors that Increase HIV Transmission and
Discrimination among Transgender Individuals.
This transgender
community-led research project will analyze the assets and needs of transgender
populations, focusing on access to health services, education, employment, and
the linkage between HIV transmission and human rights violations.
Colectivo Ovejas Negras (Montevideo, Uruguay) –
$14,500
HIV and Health Services for MSM and Transgender
Individuals in Uruguay.
This direct service and policy project will
evaluate Uruguayan public health and social service strategies to create a
profile of the epidemic amongst MSM and transgender populations in Uruguay. The
project expects to develop recommendations for best practices and input for
future government- and civil society-run activities and interventions for MSM
and transgender individuals.
Asociación Solidaria para Impulsar el Desarrollo Humano (ASPI-DH ARCO
IRIS) (San Salvador, El Salvador) – $20,000
Proyecto Abriendo
Caminos.
This advocacy project will confront homophobic/transphobic stigma
and discrimination in health services, addressing barriers to health access and
challenging key decision makers in health service delivery. ASPIDH will certify
12 health centers as being “stigma- and discrimination-free centers” and will
host special events at these centers to promote and encourage increased health
services for MSM and transgender individuals.
Asociación Civil de Diversidad Sexual de la Región Callao (Alma
Chalaca) (Bahía, Perú) – $10,985
Alma Chalaca: Innovative
Workshops by and for MSM/Transgender PEPs in Lima/Callao, Peru.
Alma
Chalaca aims to provide 40 workshops created by and for gay men, other MSM, and
transgender individuals to educate their peers about HIV and STI prevention and
promote healthy living, leadership skills, and human rights awareness.
Additionally, the peers will develop a website and informational materials. The
second phase of the project will involve working closely with political leaders
and medical professionals to include them in the dialogue and create strategic
relationships.