VHS-Gilead TRANS Life Project
Supported by the Gilead Rainbow Grant - Gilead Sciences Inc.
(2019 - 2021)

Strategies

This project primarily adapted the key strategies including evidence-based program; community mobilization and community engagement; capacity building; promoting behaviour change and health seeking behaviour; tech-enabled communication; community-led communication; creating enabling environment/eliminating stigma & discrimination; addressing rights of TG/MSM PLWHIVs; referral and linkages; and sustainability & transition for delivering the desired results.

Area of focus

Key Activities

Key Achievements

Based on the secondary review, qualitative study conducted, and quantitative data analysis undertaken, summarizing the key accomplishments and achievements of the project:

• This project ensured Community Engagement and Community Mobilization efforts at every stage of the project by ensuring community consultation, capacity building of CBOs / DOSTs, enhancing their competencies, etc.
• The identification and engagement of community members as DOST (FRIEND) has greater acceptance and contributed to reaching the target groups and achieving the desired results. This approach is also a sustainable and cost-effective model. These DOSTs’ roles and responsibilities are well-defined and identified DOST through specific community-initiated guidelines. DOSTs has undertaken IPC activities on one-to-one and through virtual methods.
• The project focused on the improving the QoL of TG/MSM communities on 10 core messages / areas covering all aspects and addressing comprehensive needs of TG/MSM communities and it is observed that, first time TG/MSM communities are provided with such comprehensive services with the focus on beyond HIV.
• The project has adapted comprehensive strategies, innovative approaches, coordination with all key stakeholders at all levels, ensure community engagement and community mobilization initiatives, addressed the comprehensive needs of the community members including focusing on young communities and preparing for ageing with dignity, etc.
• The project has undertaken systematic and need based initiatives in young lawyers and other stakeholders for ensuring partnerships, linkage with services and ensuring sustained efforts. This intervention has also enhanced the capacities of 48 CBO / board members including 12 CBOs and 36 board of members on handling QoL related activities using strategic approaches.
• The project contributed to developing a need based and pioneering QoL Index Tool for HIV positive TG/MSM community members.
• Strategic and systematic efforts have been undertaken to promote mental health by addressing mental health issues through capacity building, including counsellors in the intervention area, linkage with these professionals for availing services, providing Barefoot Counselling, providing psycho-social support, etc. This approach and efforts has greater acceptance.
• The project has also promoted a dedicated helpline and thus contributed for community friendly guidance / counselling and benefited by 1,011 community members. In addition, DOSTs and CBOs also has promoted other helplines for availing need-based services.
• This intervention and the initiatives of DOST has resulted in identification of young community members, guiding them and contributing for re-enrolment of 41 community members in the TI program and 22 young community members have been linked with STI/HIV/AIDS program. This effort has been possible through an engagement of community consultation, engagement of DOSTs and the ongoing strategic efforts undertaken.
• As a part of this project, based on the community needs, developed BCC materials for awareness creation and use in social media campaign / tech-enabled communication initiatives which includes: 1 audio song, 1 handbook, 9 e-posters, 9 video songs, 1 community video song and 8 U=U campaign videos by involving celebrities, community members, community consultants, etc. These efforts has contributed for Facebook reach of 33,500 and WhatsApp reach of 37,910. In addition to the primary target groups of 600, overall, the social media campaign initiatives has contributed for reaching 3,800 TG community members. The project has reached the TG/MSM communities beyond the target groups and created a momentum on improving the QoL. The e-posters and videos developed will be of permanent resource materials by use by any CBOs in the state and the same also can be dubbed and used across the country.
• As per the findings of the baseline, the project integrated and promoted self-care management among 564 TG/MSM community members. This initiative has inculcated the habits of personal hygiene, nutritional practices, timely taking foods, etc.
• The CBO and the DOST has undertaken efforts on the guidance of the project team and mobilized food packets, groceries, hygiene kit and other resources for about Rs. 7,41,320/-. These efforts has been undertaken with the guidance of the project team. Through this process, capacitated and motivated the CBOs and DOSTs on resource mobilization initiatives. The project has also undertaken efforts in leveraging resources for about Rs. 1,20,000/- for supporting and addressing the Covid-19 prevention initiatives.
• The project has adapted 12 M’s - contributors for the success of the project which includes: Methodical approaches; Mobilization of community participation and its networks; Marginalized friendly approaches; Mingle / meet with stakeholders (Networking); Minimal Period; Minimal Resources (Human + Finance); Managed Innovative Communications / social media; Managed Project Risks; Maximum Coverage / results through DOST; Mutual / Multi-Level Learning; Maintainable (Sustainable); Leverage Resources; Referral and Linkages; Messages through DOST – Community Communication Agent; and Making it possible through DOST.
• The project has achieved the desired results in the midst of Covid-19. Some of the factors contributed for the successful implementation of the project such as: Experienced Program Team; DOST (Community friendly volunteer); Community Engagement and Community friendly approaches; Community Friendly messages, materials & medium; Community centric approaches / program areas, new program areas (U=U, Ageing with Dignity, young TG/MSMs); Capacity building of initiatives of CBOs and DOSTs; Best use of free time during Covid for awareness; Social media campaign; Trusted partnership of VHS-CBO and DOSTs; Motivation of DOSTs at every stage for learning and sharing; Mentoring and strategic monitoring; Personal needs than common needs (QoL health focus than HIV focus) – beyond HIV/AIDS; Use of social media groups at all levels; and Covering all age group target specific.

Key Publications

IEC Materials

Videos on Core Areas

Videos on Core Areas

Videos on U=U Campaign

Chief & Director, VHS-IDMC

Media Publicity

Recommendations

• Replication of VHS-Gilead TRANS Life Project in other districts.
• Translate / sub-titling the existing e-posters and videos for use in other states.
• Intervention for young communities at state level using technologies.
• Establishing state digital repository for TGs / state information and support center for TG/MSM communities (along with repository of information, schemes, best practices, community consultant details, etc).
• Digital tech-enabled communication:
  • State creative team for developing creatives for use in social media campaign.
  • Social media campaign on thematic series.
  • Developing APP with information on resources available, services schemes, self-counselling, awareness videos, etc.
  • Develop self-learning materials and made available in the web platform.
• Mental health helpline with the counsellor at state level (MH and career guidance).
• Career guidance for continuing education by young communities, preparing for salaried jobs for young TG/MSM.
• Training for Gurus for guiding the young TG/MSM beyond routine / regular activities.
• Capacity building of CBOs in the state on QoL improvement to the entire state.
• Continue to promote self-care management among community members.
• Campaign mode initiatives for linking with services and schemes for 100% of community members (social protection).
• Documentation of best practices on empowerment of TG/MSM community and dissemination.
• Educate parents, parent-teacher associations and teachers on gender identity and developing positive attitude about TG/MSM communities.
• Networking of trained DOSTs for continuing the efforts and ongoing mentoring and technical support.
• Establishing a state level trust for coordinating the TG/MSM community needs with the provision of fixed deposit for generating income for continuing the activities by core team (based on the OVC trust established in the state).
• Organizing state level convention once in two years for facilitating experience sharing, identifying community priorities and evolve roadmap.

Photos

Virtual Training via Google Meet

Contact Us

Director - Projects
CHARTERED - Projects Division
The Voluntary Health Services (VHS)
Rajiv Gandhi Salai, TTTI Post,
Taramani, Chennai – 600 113.
Email ID: williams@vhsprojects.org

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