PLWHA are facing with everyday stigma and discrimination that are present in our society. Fight against stigma and discrimination represents one of the main activities that CAZAS has been conducting in last several years. We have everyday communication with people living with HIV/AIDS. They are usually facing lack of understanding by their further and nearer environment regarding their health condition and that’s why we want to animate them (members of families, friends and partners of PLWHA, so as others) to visit this Center on regular basis in order to raise their awareness about this problem. Lack of this kind of Center represented a big problem. That made people living with HIV/AIDS to usually address us, because they don’t have the possibility to address someone from governmental sector where, it’s a fact, discretion and confidentiality in full meaning of these words are not guaranteed. Beside this, they are usually faced with lack of understanding from their families, friends and colleagues. It usually starts with a few closest persons and slowly spreads on neighborhood and a whole community.

The main objective of the project is to provide quality psychosocial and legal assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), so as to strengthen capacities of PLWHA in the community and in defending their human rights.

First of all, Center is a safe place for all people who find interesting the problem of HIV/AIDS and who seek for proper information on this issue, especially for people living with HIV/AIDS to come and share their problems, emotions, and fears and seek for solutions with the help from experts and trained members of CAZAS. The existence of Center is very helpful for these people in terms of access to information related to HIV/AIDS, other STIs and other areas that they show interest in. This way we can help them in getting counseling services, provide psycho-social and legal help, as well as help them in mutual connecting in order to exchange their experiences and enable them to create support group, where they can help each other and self-support (self-help) themselves.

The biggest part of the project is related to the sessions led by psychologist. Considering the fact that working with PLWHA is very sensitive and that it is necessary to have certain expertise for dealing with this thematic, we believe that it is necessary to have appropriate approach in working with PLWHA. Therefore, program of the workshops is developed on the principles of working with vulnerable groups. It is based on recognizing the needs, frontiers, possibilities and capacities of every individual in order to assure their participation and develop skills. Also, special attention is given to the principles of working in groups, due to sensitivity of thematic and profile of the group, in aim of achieving the best possible results.

Through sessions and meetings PLWHA have an opportunity to meet each other, to learn more about their rights, obligations and possibilities, to be actively engaged in developing the communities and they belong to and contribute to the efforts institutions and organizations are making aiming at reduction of stigma and discrimination towards PLWHA. The aim of sessions is to come to some solutions of discrimination cases through various methods of working in groups. At these sessions participants have an opportunity to talk about the different topics related to their social position, problems their encounter, ways to overcome or solve these problems, etc.

We will work on raising awareness among youth and general population, sensitizing and creating a possibility of identification of risk for infection. Considering the facts we have already mentioned about the situation and life conditions of PLWHA, and the way they are discriminated, the methods we will use for communicating with them will be based on anonymity. A person who contacts us on an AIDS INFO line to ask for help or to gain some information will be assured complete anonymity. Their identity will remain unknown, off course if they wish so. And all the other communication will be carried out in accordance to their needs and wishes. The names of the HIV + people who attend our self- support groups and undergo our trainings will not be available to wider public.

One of the methods we will use to achieve our aim to empower them to take action for defense of their human rights in their own hands will be including them in creating the program of activities for self support groups. This is also the way for them to develop skills they need for further social involvement and activism, and raising their self –confidence. They will also undergo trainings for facilitating workshops and meetings with people hit by HIV. This would also result in encouraging other people hit by HIV to call us, come to us for help, visit our meetings etc.  

We are going to use methods of informal education- interactive lectures and creative workshops, open discussions, simulation and role-plays. From our experience in this field we concluded that these are the best methods for people to acquire certain knowledge, and which is more important, develop skills that are necessary for quality work with people, and especially psychosocial help and support.

This project is supported by BCIF and CNF.