AIDS Foundation East West

As of 1 January 2011, 6,404 individuals were registered as living with HIV in the Republic of Moldova, although experts in the region estimate that more than 15,000 individuals may already be HIV positive in the country. Increasingly, HIV is transmitted through unsafe heterosexual contact in Moldova. Ensuring that individuals (particularly young people, given that they are disproportionately affected) have accurate and complete information on how best to prevent HIV is key to halting the spread of the virus.

As such, AFEW together with its partner dance4life International initiated activities in Moldova as a part of the larger global Dance4Life campaign under the HIV/AIDS Campaign for Youth in the Republic of Moldova project. AFEW’s activities are aimed at decreasing the incidence of HIV among young people by linking them with youth from other countries and by distributing information on the prevention of HIV and the promotion of safer sex behaviours.

As a part of this project, AFEW specifically focused on the following activities:

•  Seeking the involvement and support of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education of Moldova;
• Selecting and training groups of peer trainers from non-governmental organisations and schools in Chisinau to assist in the implementation of further campaign activities;
• Developing and printing informational materials, such as brochures, posters, leaflets and pocket calendars, to provide HIV prevention messages specifically targeting youth in Moldova;
Conducting presentations in Chisinau schools and carrying out social events, including youth competitions and concerts to promote and spread the campaign messages.

• 3 176 young people from 100 Chisinau schools were reached by ‘Heart Connection Tours’ conducted by a team of peer trainers. Using interactive presentations and film, volunteers taught students the ‘Dance4Life Drill’, discussed HIV prevention and tolerance towards HIV-positive people, informed young people about opportunities to become involved in the ‘Dance4Life’ project and encouraged them to become ‘agents of change’; 
• More than 200 ‘agents of change’ (that is, young people who were willing to take part in HIV prevention activities) were registered during the project;170 000 copies of brochures on HIV and AIDS were distributed, as well as 24 500 promotional Dance4Life brochures.
• 170,000 copies of brochures on HIV and AIDS were distributed, as well as 24 500 promotional Dance4Life brochures.

Project Results 2009-2010

Three more teams were trained to conduct Heart Connection Tours in Moldova

• AFEW organised 46 skills4life trainings. These trainings are conducted by specially trained peer educators who go to schools and provide students with a three-day training programme about HIV and maintaining good health. So far, 1,071 students have been reached.
• Training teams organised more than 60 heart connection tours for more than 5,900 students from schools and summer camps across Moldova. 106 act4life events were organised by the teams of students. The events included street parades, competitions and games in public places, flash mobs and school parties. It is estimated that more than 15,000 people attended these events.
• The annual dance4life event with live broadcasting was organised in Chisinau on the last Saturday of November 2010. The event gathered more than 2,500 young people from all over the country. The event was led by agents4change, the most active participants in the dance4life movement.
• 55,880 copies of brochures on HIV and AIDS were distributed, as well as 15,596 dance4life brochures.