HARM REDUCTION TRAINING & TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME IN BELARUS

HARM REDUCTION TRAINING & TECHNICAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME IN BELARUS

Project donor(s)
Duration
Budget
Partner(s)
MATRAApril 2005 – March 2008€561, 320Mainline Foundation, Belarusian Red Cross, MGO “Positive Movement”

Project goals

Improve HIV prevention services for Belarussian people who inject drugs and, thus, reduce the spread and impact of the HIV epidemic in Belarus.

Focus

  • Creation of a national harm reduction network;
  • The establishment of a professional training centre to support non-governmental and governmental organisations;
  • Improving the knowledge and skills of harm reduction specialists through on-site training seminars, site visits to related projects in other regions, and the provision of technical assistance, all of which are guided by training needs assessments.

Achievements

By the end of the project cycle, selected non-governmental and governmental organisations were able to develop, implement and evaluate sustainable, accessible and effective harm reduction and needle exchange programmes for people who inject drugs in Belarus. To support these agencies, a regional harm reduction training centre and a national harm reduction network have been created.

As of November 2008, this project transferred knowledge and new skills to 211 healthcare professionals and NGO personnel through 11 training seminars, and over 30,000 educational materials have been distributed through harm reduction projects across the country. Furthermore, 40 Belarusian professionals took part in a study tour to the Netherlands, Ukraine and Macedonia, and a team of 15 professionals were trained and will continue to provide training to other professionals in the country on harm reduction strategies after the project cycle.

Ultimately, AFEW’s activities have contributed to preventing the further spread of HIV among people who inject drugs, and improving access to quality services from non-governmental harm reduction and needle exchange projects. Effective harm reduction tools included outreach work, peer education and the distribution of informational materials appropriate for the specific target audiences.