Hiv/Aids Prevention & Care Projects

• 1166 Female sex workers (FSWs) 342 men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and more than 10.000 members of the general public have been provided awareness and trained in preventive practices.

• 1960 People living with HlV/AIDS (PLHA)and their families have so far availed services of the Community Care Centre (CCC)

HIV/AIDS initiatives

Targeted Intervention project – Supported by AIDS Prevention and Control Unit (APAC)

CHARDEP has been working in the area of HIV and AIDS prevention for the last 5 years. HIV and AIDS being the epidemic that it is deserves all the efforts that it demands to ensure that people are aware of staying away and also fight against it. CHARDEP is one of the implementing partners of AIDS prevention and Control Unit (APAC) for the Targeted Intervention Programme among high risk groups in the district of Kanyakumari.

CHARDEP has been asked to work among Female Sex Workers (FSW) and Men having Sex with Men(MSM) to provide awareness about HIV and AIDS and also to ensure that they get continuous interventions including medical examinations, Master Health Check ups, counseling and support and also continuous trainings to ensure that they also feel part of the society. One other major objective of the project is to start Community Based Organisation (CBO) involving the target population, train them and make them self sufficient and empowered to stand up for their rights and consider themselves as an integral part of the society. CHARDEP has been covering 3 blocks of Kanyakumari District through this project. Munchirai, Thiruvattar and Melpuram.

Total coverage of the project – 3 blocks of Kanyakumari district

Total number of female Sex Workers identified and provided intervention – 1159

Total number of Men having Sex with Men identified and provided intervention – 340

The project office is located at Marthandam with all the necessary facilities needed to run this project.

Two Community Based Organisations have also been formed for the target population. The CBO for the Female Sex Workers has been named as ‘Mugil’ and the CBO for the Men having Sex with Men has been named as ‘Nalladhor veenai’. The CBO’s have been registered and the office bearers are being given constant training for the proper functioning of the organization. The major goal of the project for the current year would be to strengthen the Community Based Organisations to become self sustainable and to create a change in the society that they are working for.