Month: December 2023

Visit to Norway. As part of the emerging collaboration resulting from the #BalticHUB StudyVisit and knowledge exchange between HIV Norge and the #HelpNowHUB Foundation, a personal meeting and a support group for Ukrainian women living with HIV in Norway were planned and conducted.

Despite the challenges in planning and  organizing the meeting, organizers faced difficulties in the women’s attendance (distance, lack of childcare for various age groups, health-related challenges). This issue also arises in organizing meetings for migrant women in other host countries. 

However, despite the challenges, The meeting took place in a very warm, confidential, safe and close atmosphere at the HivNorge office.

Women were able to share their experiences, receive long-awaited support from their peers, discuss relevant topics, requests, and plans for the future. The next meeting is preliminarily scheduled for the end of February or March, with the participation of an infectious disease doctor. 

Worth to mention that the collaboration between two organisations started before the meeting, thanks to #BalticHub. Organisations together have worked for  collaborative support and case management for a concrete Ukrainian refugee women living with HIV, who sought help directly from Poland. Hanna Ariabinska, with the support of Guro Sorensen have provided necessary assistance and support in transferring the case to another municipality for closer access to the clinic.

During the meeting in Oslo, the discussion of requests from HIV-positive men for joint meetings was also conducted. After surveying the women, consideration of the possibility of joint meetings was included in the near plans. After group discussions, a decision was made to share information about a closed Telegram chat of HelpNowHub Foundation for everyone worldwide. The group is used for communication and an informational chat for community representatives, as well as adding new participants from Norway. 

In addition to chat support, the #HelpNowHUB Foundation together with HivNorge are ready to provide psychological support and online counseling from a Ukrainian and russian-speaking psychologist for people living with HIV from Norway (5 individual sessions per client) until the end of March, 2024. 

Norway impresses with the beauty of nature and its readiness to help people living with HIV and key populations, as well as war refugees from Ukraine. 

Yours, 

Hanna

In March 2022, in response to the russian attack on Ukraine, a remarkable initiative was launched – #HelpNowHUB. In 20 months, this unique service, founded by the Alliance for Public Health, has provided more than 37,000 services for PLHIV and KPs in more than 50 countries and 200 cities around the world.

The initiative began by helping those who were victims of war, providing not only treatment but also psychological, legal, and social support in Ukraine and abroad. Thanks to Alliance Consultancy and the project “Emergency response in connection with the war to support internally displaced people within Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees abroad amongst the representatives of key populations and PLHIV” (Help Now Hub, Emergency Response, Regional Project SoS 2. 0), financial support from the Global Fund, and a partnership with the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, #HelpNowHUB has rapidly grown to become an international hub with separate units in Germany, Poland, Moldova and the Baltic States, #HelpNowDoctors services, and a HelpNow Clinical Hub with key coordination-navigation-information functions.

From January to October 2023, #HelpNowHUB continued to provide continuity of services for Ukrainian refugees within the framework of the project “Providing emergency support to refugees from Ukraine and internally displaced persons among key population groups in Ukraine

and other host countries — Emergency Response Project, HelpNowHUB”,” with the assistance of the Alliance for Public Health and with financial support from AidsFonds. 

The #HelpNowHUB is a testament to the power of cooperation and the inexhaustible will that is born in times of crisis. Thanks to this initiative, it is clear that its impact goes beyond numbers and statistics. These are real people, real stories that have become symbols of courage and resilience.

Although the project’s implementation phase has ended, #HelpNowHUB remains alive thanks to the activists, NGOs, and lives it has impacted, strengthening communities and inspiring future development. Even in the absence of funding, the #HelpNow service and the Polish hub, #HelpNowPL, continue their noble work, providing continuous support to Ukrainian refugees on a volunteer basis. Their dedication and belief in the value of every life helped to register the HelpNow HUB NGO in Poland.

Promoting the unity of forces and expressing deep gratitude to everyone there for their heroic work. We believe that together we can overcome anything! That’s why we put not a full stop, but three at the end…

To be continued. 

#Glory to Ukraine!