AIDS infoshare Russia / infoshare international

AIDS infoshare (SPID infosvyaz') is a Russian NGO which was founded to continue and enhance the work started by infoshare international. Infoshare international is a U.S. 501(c)(3) organization, which was founded October 15, 1993. AIDS infoshare/infoshare international was started in Moscow by an American and three Russians, because we discovered that very few Russians had access to the information that is needed to take any actions against the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or HIV/AIDS in Russia.

It is the mission of AIDS infoshare / infoshare international to provide Russian individuals and organizations with the tools that they need to fight HIV/AIDS and STDs and human rights violations in the health system.

In our first two and one half years of operation, we have:

• launched our “Infoexchange: STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention Among Women” project in which we work closely with 10 Russian organizations throughout Russia to assist and support them in doing their own projects by: providing them with computer equipment, training in computer and project management skills, providing small project grants of $3000 and partnering them with American/European organizations doing similar work

• begun our “Health and Human Rights in Russia” project funded by USAID as a Linkage Grant of the Civic Initiatives Program, the goal of which is to produce a set of guidelines for improving the observance of human rights and medical ethics in the health system. This project also includes an educational component of workshops, translated materials and a newsletter;

• established SPIDNET, an electronic mail conference for information in Russian on HIV/AIDS and STDs, funded by USAID through the World Learning NIS/PVO Initiative Project. In March 1996, we distributed 23 new Macintosh computers (donated by the Apple Community Grants Program, MacWay and USAID) and held a training workshop for users;

• created the first library in Russia specifically devoted to HIV/AIDS and STDs, containing over 4,000 books, articles, and essays, as well as videos and brochures. Over 200 pages of material is translated into Russian and distributed each month by specific requests of our users;

Stass and Shona inthe AIDS infosharelibrary on HIV/AIDS

the largest in Russiaand open weekdaysto the public.

• produced ten issues of RAR info, a newsletter specifically designed to educate and inform HIV-positive people, their doctors and caretakers;

• distributed food, clothing, and medications to over 250 people affected by HIV/AIDS through “Russia AIDS Relief,” our support program for people with HIV;

• surveyed doctors and patients at women's clinics (zhenskie konsultatsi), and created a brochure on STD prevention specifically for women in this setting;

• conducted five seminars on NGO Management and Development (in Moscow, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Estonia) for NGOs working in the field of HIV/AIDS through the Global Programme on AIDS of the World Health Organization;

• conducted several outreach events, including: a booth in Gorky Park on Earth Day at which free information and condoms were distributed; participation in the 1994 and 1995 Magee Celebration of Women; lectures on STDs and HIV/AIDS at schools; Artists Against AIDS, an art opening and auction of works by over 40 of Russia's leading contemporary artists; a roundtable on STDs and women for doctors;

• created an electronic database containing information on individuals and institutions working in the fields of HIV/AIDS prevention/education, care, policy making and research. This information has been produced and distributed in the form of a printed resource guide in Russian;

• created a series of fact sheets designed to educate the public and people working in health care settings; titles include: General Information about HIV/AIDS, Facts about Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Prevention of STDs and HIV/AIDS, Universal Precautions, Pre- and Post-test Counseling, HIV/AIDS in the Media (facts and tips for journalists), The Russian Law on HIV-Infection, HIV/AIDS and Human Rights. The future plans of AIDS infoshare/infoshare international include: creating an HIV and human rights network in Eastern Europe; expanding our activities of a training and resource center for organizations and individuals to include more human rights trainings, workshops on information management and hospice/home care issues; and conducting more direct information campaigns around health and human rights and HIV/AIDS.

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Lena & Gennady show two of the many printed materials available through AIDS infoshare.

infosheet text & images ©1996 AIDS infoshare