Afraye Sabz Association, established in 2001, is a Non-Governmental Organization in Kermanshah Province, Iran (one of the western provinces of the country on the border with Iraq).Bearing in mind the critical situation of the province with regard to the rising number of people living with HIV (PLHIV), specifically among young people injecting drugs, the Association was formed to reduce and prevent HIV and AIDS among the public, especially among young people and those with high risk behaviours.In order to achieve its goal, the Association aimed to raise awareness of people (youth in particular) by providing educational and other complementary services as well as to support PLHIV families and those who are affected by HIV and AIDS.

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Successes

• The Association broadened its work plan from training of trainers on HIV and AIDS prevention as peer educators for young people to distributing syringes and needles among IDUs and condoms among key populations. These activities are undertaken alongside other services which the centre provides, including voluntary testing for HIV and psycho-social support.
• The Association supervises and manages: The “Kermanshah Positive Club” with 3,700 PLHIV members along with 10,000 individual affected by HIV and AIDS; Four Drop In Centres (DIC) for men, providing HIV prevention services including education, care and support services for 1,300 Injecting Drug Users and other drug users; One DIC for women to promote safe sex and prevention of HIV transmission among nearly 300 sex workers, women and girls with risky behaviours or at high risk of HIV infection; One shelter for men providing basic services such as clean beds, warm meals, showers and clean clothes to 38 individuals.
• The Association provides pregnant women with free of charge delivery services or abortion in some cases by referring them to like-minded hospitals and other service delivery points.
• Afraye Sabz used an innovative bottom-up approach and successfully held an exceptional seminar to celebrate World AIDS Day 2011 uniting PLHIV, key populations, NGOs and young people together with key influential provincial officials to acknowledge their role in the HIV response. The seminar witnessed participation of more than 400 young people, PLHIV, key populations and NGOs as well as high level officials including the UNAIDS Country Officer, the Head of CCDC from the Ministry of Health, the Friday Imam representing the Supreme Leader in the province, the Governor General, Provincial Judiciary, provincial Head of Prison Organization, Chief of Police, Head of Drug Control Headquarters, Chancellor and Deputies of Medical University, Head of Welfare Organization, and academic figures.

Partnerships

• Kermanshah Medical University
• Ministry of Health and Medical Sciences
• The State Welfare Organization
• Kermanshah Governor’s Office
• Iranian National Drug Control Headquarter
• Youth National Organization
• Kermanshah Behavioural Disorders Centre
• Red Croissant
• Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation
• UNAIDS
• UNODC

Contact

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: 00988317270175
Address: Modares gunction,
Kermanshah IR Iran,
4336