FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Cub Barrett, Program Communications Manager
(212) 806-1602
NEW YORK, April 10, 2012—As violence, stigma, and
discrimination toward gay men, other men who have sex with men (MSM), and
transgender individuals in many countries in Africa continue to attract
worldwide attention, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, on Tuesday announced
a fifth round of Africa community awards to support frontline groups working
directly with local MSM and transgender populations. The seven awards, which will provide funding for HIV/AIDS
prevention, testing, and treatment services, as well as advocacy efforts, range
from more than $10,000 to $20,000 each. Most of the groups receiving the awards
conduct outreach and advocacy work in countries where same-sex sexual activity,
especially among men, is illegal.
See the full list of amfAR’s fifth round of Africa community awards made through its MSM Initiative
“There is continuing concern that the social climate in many
African countries is increasingly homophobic, so the groups we work with
through our MSM Initiative are not only doing vital work, but also very
dangerous work,” said amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost. “We know that HIV and other
sexually transmitted infections thrive in these kinds of discriminatory
environments, so the work our partners do in Africa is critically important.”
Funded projects range from using an arts-based
approach to reach deaf MSM in South Africa to increasing the participation of
gay men and other MSM in national HIV/AIDS policy discussions in Burundi.
In Togo—a country where consensual same-sex sexual
activity can be penalized by up to three years in prison—the funded group,
Espoi Vie Togo, will help create the first ever safe space for lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and other MSM in the country. The facility
will provide access to psychosocial support, HIV testing and counseling, and
other essential services.
“Since 2008, Espoi Vie Togo has
worked with the MSM community to address HIV prevention and treatment services,
but we realized we also needed to incorporate psychological and social care
into them to fully serve the community’s needs,” said Yves Kugbe, coordinator
of programs for Espoir Vie Togo. “We also needed to increase our advocacy
activities to help promote a healthier environment for MSM. amfAR’s MSM
Initiative helped us meet both of these needs.”
Many of the MSM Initiative’s projects encourage
primary award recipients to train other outreach workers to amplify the impact
of the award. For example, Health Options for Young Men on HIV, AIDS and STIs
(HOYMAS) in Nairobi, Kenya, will provide sex workers living with HIV with HIV
prevention and treatment information. Those workers, in turn, will pass that
knowledge on to other sex workers. Additionally, HOYMAS is working with the
Kenyan government to improve public policies related to HIV among male sex
workers.
“We’re only going to realize the Obama
Administration’s vision of an ‘AIDS-free generation’ if we reach as many people
possible with HIV/AIDS prevention education, testing, and treatment,” said MSM
Initiative Director Kent Klindera. “Our partners on the ground in Africa and
elsewhere understand the importance of using our funding to help them spread
life-saving information to of the MSM and transgenders. We design our awards to
help fill a distinct need, but also to serve as an important catalyst for
change.”
Programs like amfAR’s MSM Initiative are vital in global
efforts to curb the AIDS epidemic globally: A 2007 analysis of data from 38
low- and middle-income countries showed that MSM are 19 times more likely to be
infected with HIV than the general population.
Additionally, a January 2011 analysis by amfAR and the Center for Public
Health and Human Rights (CPHHR) at Johns Hopkins University found that funding
to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS consistently fails to reach programs designed to
control the disease among MSM and transgender individuals. The report found
that resources dedicated to addressing the epidemic among MSM are grossly insufficient,
and that funding intended for this population is often diverted away from
MSM-related services.
Since its launch in July 2007, amfAR’s MSM Initiative has made 168
Community Awards totaling more than US$3.1 million to support 123 frontline
organizations serving MSM in 69 countries.
About amfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the
world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS
research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound
AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested more than $366
million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research
teams worldwide.
Mouvement pour les Libertés individuelles (MOLI) (Bujumbura, Burundi)
$12,080
Increasing MSM Participation in the Fight Against AIDS in Burundi
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.