Since 2021, AFEW International, in partnership with an NGO “ISHONCH VA HAYOT”, and with financial support of ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION, has been implementing a project “Expansion and improvement of HIV services in Uzbekistan”. The project addressed the existing gap in the access of underserved populations to testing and relevant HIV services.
The project helped a lot of people to get tested on HIV and linked them to the ARV treatment in a timely manner. One of them is Elena from Tashkent, and we would like to tell her story.
A difficult puberty period
Elena was born and grew up in the city of Tashkent, she was the only child in the family. When she turned 13 years old, her mother died of congestive heart failure. Soon after that her father brought another woman to their home with her two sons aged 18 and 15. Approximately a year after the eldest son began to harass Elena. She did not respond to his sexual harassments and he became aggressive and used physical force. She told her father and step-mother about it, but they did not believe her and accused her of slandering. After living in sexual abuse for two years Elena ran away from home together with an elder friend. Since she was underage and could not do any work at that time, she and her friend started working in the sphere of sex-services.
Support of the project
An outreach worker of ISHONCH VA HAYOT Jakhangir Umarov met Elena back in July 2022 during a field trip to an apartment where she and a few other girls provided sex services for a fee. During their first meeting Elena received test consultation but she refused to undergo HIV testing. She said that she understands that she had risky behaviour, and sometimes she even could noticed several symptoms of HIV infection (temperature rising without reason, weight loss, fever without symptoms of cold). However, she was afraid of her possible HIV positive status. Nevertheless, they exchanged contact information and Jakhangir continued to consult her regarding HIV. After some time, Elena overcame her fears and got tested. Assisted express HIV-testing returned positive. Elena felt shock and fear of what would happen to her, how she would earn money. However, she did not surrender and started searching information about the disease and what needed to be done to cope with it.
A way to ARV therapy
After the express testing Elena underwent additional examinations at the City AIDS Centre. By that time, she was aware that it was extremely important to start ARV therapy as soon as possible in order to improve the quality of life. Elena registered for the D-list in short term and began her ARV therapy. Unfortunately, Elena developed depression and started to isolate herself. The outreach worker decided to refer her to the psychotherapist. Elena also started to attend support groups for woman living with HIV provided on the basis of NGO ISHONCH VA HAYOT. The project helped Elena to overcome her fears, to feel better and to understand the need of the ARV therapy which improved her quality of life.
For reference
Within the project, AFEW International provided technical support to local partners in Uzbekistan to ensure better coverage of key populations in HIV testing services, and better treatment adherence of those tested positive for HIV. The project also focused on the development of a key partner NGO ISHONCH VA HAYOT through a thoroughly planned capacity building program, based on the assessment of the organizational needs.
