…because aids exists!. abraÇo headquarters, lisbon

…Because AIDS exists!

ABRAÇO Headquarters, Lisbon

General Presentation

SETÚBAL

FUNCHAL

Where we are

VILA NOVA DE GAIA

LISBON

PORTUGAL

1 Mission

• Abraço is a non-profit, non-governmental health related voluntary organisation;

• Our mission is to help and support people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS;

• Our services cover the whole of Portugal (mainland and islands);

• We develop joint-ventures and partnerships with African and European NGOs.

2 Programs/Services

• We are involved in areas such as:

• HIV/AIDS health promotion in schools and workplaces;

• General sexual health education, including with young people

• Learning upgrading for non-professionals (service users, relatives and others)

• Learning upgrading for professionals (health professionals – nurses, doctors and others);

• Pressure groups against discrimination of human rights of PLWHA.

• Diversified services regarding service users needs.

2 Programs/Services

•Our initiatives include:

• drop-in centre, • condom distribution, • food bank, • drug use counselling, • retreats, • newsletter, • training workshops in

schools and other organisations,

• prevention campaigns,• legal and financial support,

• needle exchange program, • home-care, • cafeteria, • social support, • self-help group, • internet forum, • advice and information

hotline, • treatment information,• and more

3 Target / Population we serve

• Our service users span all age levels, social backgrounds, gender and sexual preferences, since HIV/AIDS is not confined within specific population or transmission areas;

• Considering the people living with HIV/AIDS and their relatives, our service users include:

•Gay men and Lesbians •Youth (school age)

•Transsexuals •Sex workers

•IV and other drug users •Homeless people

•Prison inmates •Immigrants

•Women •Everyone, in general

• Our aim is to regularly exchange information with international organisations and support advertising and school campaigns:

1. providing bi-lingual posters and leaflets (in English and Portuguese) to other organizations who work in Portuguese speaking countries or in countries with Portuguese immigrant communities;

2. developing partnerships with organizations in order to better serve our service users.

4 International Cooperation

• We focus our attention on creating partnerships with organizations working in Portuguese speaking countries / territories* which require our expertise to create joint-ventures and partnerships.

* East Timor, Macau (China), Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guiné Bissau, São Tomé e Príncipe and Brasil.

4 International Cooperation

5 Funding

Our funding comes from:

• Government

We receive grants from 2 different central government Departments: the Department of Health and the Work and Social Security Department, to support a diverse range of projects, with around 60% contribution of total funding involved.

• Other

Regular and ad-hoc donations from individuals and organisations, as well as funding solicited for specific projects.

The Projects

SETÚBAL

FUNCHAL

VILA NOVA DE GAIA

LISBON

PORTUGAL

Lisbo n

Art Gallery

Headquarters

ABRAÇO - Lisbon

CAAP – Drop In Centre

HCC – Homecare Centre José Luís Champalimaud

ESW – Emergency Shelter appartments for Women

Dental Care CentreSupport Line – Abraço Direct Line

CafeteriaABRAÇO NewsletterDocumentation CentreArt Gallery

CAAP – Drop In CentreLisbon

CAAP / Drop In Centre Lisbon

Medical centre, food bank, condom distribution areas

Cafeteria

Lisbon

1 Mission


• Emergency Support

– To give support to HIV+ homeless who don’t have access to

government services.

• Psycho-social support – An ongoing project of support for people with HIV in

circumstances of social/ economic distress, and who would

benefit from regular intervention, with the objective of obtaining

full social integration and employment.

• To help reduce social exclusion, including from family and employers;

• To reduce the stigma of HIV in social contexts;

• To support the (re)integration of people living with HIV in society.

2 Vision


3 Objectives

CAAP / Drop In Centre

• Laundry facilities •Showering facilities

• Clothing and shoes storage •Food bank

• Financial and Legal support •Psychological support

• Self Help groups •Support Line

• Cafeteria (we provide over 70 meals per day)

• Overseas delivery of medicines (mainly to Portuguese speaking countries in Africa) to service users who commenced their treatment in Portugal.

To support people with HIV/AIDS who face social and other kinds of exclusion through a programme of structured help including access to the following services in the Centre :

Lisbon

Our service users are comprised of:

• Heterosexuals (70%):• Single mothers• Immigrants, mainly Africans• Prison inmates• Other (men and women, single or in relationships)

• IV Drug users (15%):• The vast majority of whom are actively using drugs, and require access to

addiction services

• Gays, Lesbians & Transsexuals (5%)

• Seniors (5%)

• Children and Young People infected with HIV (5%)

4 Purpose

LisbonCAAP / Drop In Centre

• We have 2 harm reduction programs:

• Partnership in the national “Say no to a second hand

needle” initiative, directed at IV drug users, with

delivery of over 10.000 needles per month,

• Diversified support to sex workers (male, female and

transgender) with monthly distribution of over 9.000

condoms and lubricant.

4 Purpose


Homecare Centres - HCC

Homecare Centre José Luís Champalimaud (Lisbon)

Homecare Centre João Carlos (Vila Nova de Gaia, Oporto)

SETÚBAL

FUNCHAL

VILA NOVA DE GAIA

LISBON

PORTUGAL

V.N.Gaia

• Improve the living conditions of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS;

• Promote consistent levels of medication and treatment to

all that require our support;

• Contribute to decrease instances of hospitalisation and to

prevent against new infections.

1 Mission

HCC - Homecare Centre Lisbon & Oporto

To:

We focus our actions, strategically, to:

• Improve the quality of life of those who are living with and affected by HIV/AIDS .

2 Vision


• Increase uptake of home care services;

• Provide specialised education for those affected by HIV/AIDS;

• Provide home adaptation tailored to patient needs;

• Provide tailored patient healthcare plans;

• Provide evaluation, support and control of the prescribed

medication;

• Provide an education programme for the Home Support

Assistants;

• Provide Psychological support services,

• Provide dignified conditions to service users at terminal stage.

3 Objectives


• Since 1986, to attain excellence in HIV/AIDS care services,

and seek out support from Government and private

organisations to meet increasing demands on resources;

• To provide a first contact point for hospitals and

healthcare centres in search of solutions to their problems

regarding their HIV/AIDS patients;

• In situations where there is little or no family support, to

provide a welcoming and comforting environment;

4 Purpose


• The team´s ongoing experience in the social and out-

patient environment informs an integrated system of

solutions to our service users problems;

• The integrated solutions provided in Oporto (in the north of

Portugal) include home support, psychological intervention

and 1 residential unit;

4 Purpose


• Our evaluations have concluded that HCC integrated

social, psychological, physiotherapy, nursing and

nutritional services, in combination with more formal care,

have proved effective in the progressive bio-psycho-

social wellbeing of our service users,

• These findings are based on quantitative indicators,

according to the Karnofsky Scale.

4 Purpose


Homecare Centre João Carlos

HCC - Homecare Centre Oporto

• 2 appartments, each with 3 rooms, will be joined to allow free circulation between them;

• The aim of the project is to provide an environment for 9 people:

without family/social support

in a situation of moderate or total dependence

with permanent or temporary incapacity

to co-habit and support each other in life’s daily activities.

Apartment rented in 2006

A

Appartment rented in 2001

B



ESW – Emergency Shelter apartments for Women

Lisbon

1 Apartments and Regulations

ESW – Emergency Shelter apartments for Women Lisbon

• 2 appartments with 3 rooms each and capacity to sleep 4 single parent families (4 women and 6 children)

• Temporary stay (maximum 6 months)

• For individuals with higher levels of social abandonment

Apartments

The accomodation requires the approval of a local

authority application.

Regulations

• To temporarily house and support single parent families in social emergency situations, victims of domestic violence at risk, and those in a situation of social exclusion, for a maximum period of 6 months;

• To provide a safe and specialised alternative,

• To promote social reinsertion.

2 Objectives



The appartments

ABRAÇO – Dental Care CentrePilot Project in Portugal

Dental Clinic

Dental Care Centre

1 Mission

Dental Care Centre

• To address the gap in care provided to people living with HIV/AIDS, regarding oral healthcare

• Improve the state of their oral health.

2 Vision

Dental Care Centre

• To provide quality of life;

• Increase dental care treatments aggravated by HIV pathology and retroviral therapy.

3 Objectives

Dental Care Centre

• Improve health conditions of HIV+ people,

• Contribute to the rights of HIV+ people.

4 Purpose

Dental Care Centre

• ABRAÇO Dental Care Centre is a unique initiative in Portugal and also within Europe;

• Aside from access to the primary care services provided at Portuguese Health Centres and a very few hospital dental units, the overwhelming majority of patients have to seek dental care privately, which is of course only available to those with the resources to do so;

4 Purpose

Dental Care Centre

• Our service users have extreme social and economic limitations, which prevent them from accessing private health care;

• The government has put in place a system of State funded dental care provided through private dental clinics, but this is available solely to children of school age and there is no coverage for adults;

• The ABRAÇO dental healthcare centre has launched a pilot project to establish a comprehensive dental care facility for its service users;

4 Purpose

Dental Care Centre

• The centre at ABRAÇO has the staff necessary for the normal running of a dental practice:

•1 receptionist: welcomes cleints and helps them with the necessary

paperwork;• a dental nurse: provides assistance to the dentists and does all the

sterilization work;• a clinical director and a resident doctor: assure the smooth,

effective and professional running of the centre, and the coordination of

staff;•a group of 30 voluntary dentists provide the essential services of the

practice, and bring together a wide range of specialisms including

dental surgery, periodontology, prosthodontics (fixed and removable),

oral pediatrics, fillings, and oral medicine.

4 Purpose

Dental Care Centre

• 1700 dental appointments are expected to be provided annually;

• The aim of the project is to provide top quality dental care to the service users of ABRAÇO;

• In addition, a research and development unit is being formed in order to increase knowledge in this field, which can help to develop new preventive and therapeutic strategies in the HIV/AIDS field;

• The dental care centre is part of a much wider scheme of thinking that considers a research and development department (R&D) an essential part of an investigation process to allow us to contribute with insight to the scientific community;

4 Purpose

Dental Care Centre

• We consider this as being of major importance since present knowledge about the effects of AIDS on oral health in Portugal is virtually non-existent.

• The centres work may provide important information relative to areas of epidemiology, semiotics and pathology which might inform prevention and treatment strategies.

Support Line – Abraço Direct Line800 225 115 (accessible only in Portugal)

• To provide a direct phone line source of help and

information about HIV/AIDS to everyone.

1 Mission

Support Line – Abraço Direct Line

• First line of help and information;

• Make information more acessible;

• Allow a quicker response to peoples concerns/questions;

• Contribute to a better understanding of HIV/AIDS by the caller,

• Stimulate the exchange of information/education among peers.

2 Vision


• Our support line staff receives in-house training which

takes into account our strategy of joint-ventures with other

organisations, up to date information and issues related to

education among peers;

3 Objectives


ABRAÇO Newsletter

Newsletter

• To update the Portuguese community about the latest news and changes related to HIV/AIDS around the world;

• To keep everyone informed and aware of HIV/AIDS issues – service users, relatives, professionals and the medical scientific community.

1 Mission

Newsletter

• Raise awareness of HIV/AIDS issues;

• Reduce info-exclusion;

• Raise population knowledge level, for those who care about the issue;

• Help to reduce the geographical barriers / frontiers in relation to new HIV/AIDS developments across the world

2 Vision

Newsletter

• Keep our community updated with the most recent news

about HIV/AIDS, including service users, relatives and the

scientific and medical communities;

• Provide regular information to those with scarce resources;

• Be a reference for the HIV/AIDS professionals by providing

news about the last developments on the HIV/AIDS;

• Help to improve access to information for people living with

and affected by HIV/AIDS;

3 Objectives

Newsletter

• To be considered as an instrument in the promotion and defence of people with HIV/AIDS;

• Be a forum to address specific concerns and related issues – a kind of FAQ facility for people,

• Promote thought and debate about HIV/AIDS.

3 Objectives

Newsletter

• A Newsletter focused on providing information to the scientific community, service users, relatives and others interested parties makes it a reference on all kinds of information, easy to obtain and free of charge;

• 20.000 copies are printed bi-monthly, and distribution includes to: Healthcares centres, hospitals, prisons, schools, universities and pharmacies;

• Available to all kinds of people and age groups;

4 Purpose

Newsletter

• It includes the most up to date foreign articles,

translated with author permission, and full author

references,

• Each Newsletter contains sections along the lines of

Editorial, News, Infections and Treatments, Prevention,

Nutrition and Life Style, Legal and Social, Glossary, Other

Services, Messages, Misc Activities.

4 Purpose

Newsletter

SETÚBAL

FUNCHAL

VILA NOVA DE GAIA

LISBON

PORTUGAL

Funchal

“Be a Child” House

ABRAÇO – Funchal (Madeira Island)

“ABC – Be a Child” Programme

Funchal“ABC – Be a Child” Programme

Funchal - “Be a Child House”

Funchal

• House provided by local government on Madeira,• Needs renovation and modification before use.


1 Mission

Funchal - Madeira“ABC – Be a Child” Programme

To:

• Provide school support;

• Psychological and psycho-social support;

• Preparation and supply of hot, balanced, meals;

• Provide appointments for medical consultations and with

other professional staff;

• Supply essential goods such as food, clothing, footwear,

school supplies;

• Leisure and cultural activities, etc.

2 Vision


• Help provide a more adequate level of services for

people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS on the

island;

• Encourage the local government response to the

needs of children and their families, on Madeira

Island;

• Create conditions for a substantial decrease in

social-exclusion and stigma.

• The project aims are to:

• Promote adequate family environment, and social &

educational (re)integration;

• Create a sense of responsibility and autonomy,

• Provide support and encouragement for starting life

projects (in short, medium and long terms).

• Working with children and young people of school age with problems including low self-esteem, parent/guardian relationships difficulties, absence of affection, learning difficulties, lack of hygiene.

3 Objectives


• Since 1995, with a highly specialized and

multidisciplinary team, ABRAÇO has over the years,

reached extremely positive outcomes which meet the set

objectives.

At present the ABRAÇO “ABC – Be a Child” Programme,

provides support for 61 children and 54 family units,

which makes up a total of 160 persons receiving

support.

4

Funchal

Outcome


SETÚBAL

FUNCHAL

VILA NOVA DE GAIA

LISBON

PORTUGAL

Setúbal

ABRAÇO – Setúbal

Mário Pimenta Consultation Center

Mário Pimenta Consultation Centre Setúbal

To support and guide HIV+ people through:

• evaluating their institutional, economic and social situations;

• contributing to raise their quality of life;

• providing social reintegration and support in the therapeutic process,

• supplying the information and means necessary to prevent risk situations.

1 Objectives

SetúbalMário Pimenta Consultation Centre

2

Setúbal

Provide:

• Psycho-social, social and economic support and consultations;

• Effective support in situations of basic sustentative deprivation

(clothes and footwear, hygiene products, among others);

• Support in out-patient care,

• Co-ordination with other relevant support organisations.

Action

Mário Pimenta Consultation Centre

3 Outcome

Setúbal

• Low-income, under-educated families

• People with psycho-social problems;

• Long-term unemployed,

• People living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Support given to:

Mário Pimenta Consultation Centre

ABRAÇO – National

Prevention Activities

“In too many countries, the official conspiracy of silence in the return of AIDS meant that many people received information too late, which could have saved their life. We must help young people to protect themselves, informing them, and creating the social conditions necessary, so that they have less chance of being infected.”

Kofi Annan, “Millenium Report”

“Treatment without Prevention is unsustainable.”

Bill Gates,XVI International AIDS Conference, Canada, Toronto, August 2006

1 National Program of Peer Education

• Young people represent an important target group in the primary prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission . The majority of young people are of school age, and interventions at this stage have great importance, because it is at this stage in life that the process of socialisation occurs.

• In our school sessions a range of medias, appropriate for young people are used, namely transparencies, videos, posters, postcards and simple leaflets. The images are adapted to the target-group in accordance with its culture.

1

• The session activities take place in a relaxed, informal, way between peers, although in the physical space of the classroom.

National Program of Peer Education

1

• The key-messages transmitted during the information sessions are:

• HIV transmission routes

• HIV transmission myths

• Recognition of situations and different risk degrees, namely those related to momogamy in relationships

• Methods of protection in the different risk infection situations

• Correct condom use

• Concepts of Solidarity and Non-Discrimination

• Understanding of the different social standards namely sexual behavior

National Program of Peer Education

School sessions

2

• Abraço also carries out prevention activities in:

• Kinder Gardens/Nurseries,

• Other Voluntary Organisations,

• Businesses,

• Universities,

• Retirement Homes,

• Prisons.

Prevention: other actions

3 Prevention: Support Materials

• In its prevention activities, Abraço uses the following support materials:

• Leaflets,

• Postcards,

• Posters,

• Adverts, etc

4 Prevention: Leaflets

´Women & AIDS´´HIV & AIDS – The Essentials´

“AIDS is not transmitted through friendship”

5 Prevention: Postcards

“He´s my hero.

Use a condom”

“Dress your hero.

Use a condom”

5 Prevention: Postcards

“HIV Transmission”

“HIV for two”

“99% Cotton1% HIV”

“There are things in life we can’t share”

6 Prevention: Rock in Rio – Lisbon 2006

• Distribution of 3 . condoms and 30.000 brochures;

• Supported by: Lisbon City Hall, Harmony (Beiersdorf).

7 Prevention: Angola

Meeting with the group LPV-AIDS “fighting for life with HOPE” LUANDA, July 2006

8

Prevention activities using the “Scenarios from Africa” films

December 2006 - January 2007

Prevention: Brasil (Bahia)

9 Prevention: photograph exhibitions

• As HIV/AIDS prevention hasn´t necessarily followed traditional formats, Abraço has for some time established a link between prevention work and art, and has to date put on 5 photographic exhibitions;

• These exhibitions cover the whole country in:

•Schools,

•City Councils,

•Libraries,

•Audiences, etc

ABRAÇO – National

Learning Upgrading

1 Learning Upgrading

• Abraço provides learning upgrading about HIV/AIDS for:

• Non-professionals (service users, relatives and others)

• Health professionals (nurses, doctors and others)

• ABRAÇO Volunteers and staff

• BUSINESS, and

• The Public in general.

“Basic HIV/AIDS Training”, Abraço Headquarters – Lisbon, March-April/2006

ABRAÇO

ABRAÇO Website: www.abraco.org.pt

1 Website

Fundraising Campaign for:

“Be a Child” House

Funchal, Madeira Island

ABRAÇO – Lisbon

ABRAÇO Art Gallery

1 ABRAÇO Art Gallery

• Opened in June of 2003, the Gallery has rotated exhibitions every 2 months, with a catalogue produced for each exhibition;

• Gallery information:

• Rua do Poço do Borratém, 39,1100-408 LISBOA

• Monday to Friday, from 13:00 to 19:00

2 Temporary Gallery, Lisbon

Photography of FREDERICO MENDES

Exhibition launch, 02.11.2006

2 Temporary Gallery, Lisbon

Photography of JOHNNY FERNANDES

Exhibition Launch, 01.12.2006

ABRAÇO

ABRAÇO Publications

1 “1st Ethic Brainstorming – Abraço”

“Fear is, therefore, the first and most basic of reactions before the epidemic. That which best shows the fragility of reason and social construction.”

Prof. Dr. José Mattoso

Historian, Professor of Universidade Nova de Lisboa


2“When the World falls down over our head” Art in the time of AIDS

“One of the most original and emotive collections of art related to AIDS is the infamous "Names Project Quilt" composed of thousand of rectangles of material personally dedicated to the memory of friends, loved ones or public figures who have died as a result of AIDS. The "Quilt", now too large to be shown in one piece, was presented for the first time in Washington in 1987 (...)”

Alexandre Melo


3 Photographs by FREDERICO MENDES

4 Photographs by JOHNNY FERNANDES

´A Wall for Social Consciousness´ - helping orphans of the AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe.

…Because AIDS exists!

…because aids exists!. abraÇo headquarters, lisbon

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