In this issue, we’ll share inspiring success stories from some of the participants in the 2018–2019 STEP-UP program. We reached out to last year’s graduates and spoke with them about the successes they’ve achieved, as well as the challenges they faced while working on their projects after completing the program. Tanya, Luka, Akmal, Robbie, Alexandra, Mario, and Yuriy—thank you for sharing your stories with us!
STEP-UP is an educational initiative for PLHIV community activists in Europe and Central Asia. This initiative was launched by the European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) in 2013. Since then, hundreds of participants from the WHO European Region have completed the STEP-UP training program.
STEP-UP is a project aimed at empowering a new generation of activists and deepening their engagement with community issues at the local and national levels. The training covers key topics such as HIV treatment, prevention measures and strategies, awareness-raising, quality of life for people living with HIV, advocacy, and human rights protection.
As they complete each training module, program participants gain knowledge and skills in both science and activism. The program’s trainers and speakers are activists themselves, allowing them to share their personal experiences and expertise.
In addition, STEP-UP is an excellent platform for networking, where community activists from different countries in the WHO European Region can meet, collaborate, and learn from one another.
An important factor contributing to the success of learning and networking within the STEP-UP Academy is that training is conducted in both English and Russian.
According to official data, in 2019 the estimated number of people living with hepatitis C in Ukraine was 1.5 million, and with hepatitis B—600,000. Of these, only 82,000 people with hepatitis C are aware of their diagnosis. Revolutionary changes in treatment standards for viral hepatitis B and C, the country’s procurement of direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C treatment, and new medications for HIV infection have given hope to many patients in Ukraine.
One of the key challenges in combating the hepatitis epidemic is the acute shortage of literature in Ukrainian for medical and social workers and patients.
Participating in the STEP-UP Academy 2018/19 provided Yuriy with the necessary knowledge and helped him develop advocacy skills. He believes that the training on communication and collaboration with partners, led by Lisa Power and Julian Hows, played a particularly important role.
This enabled Yuriy Voynalovych to develop a project and secure funding from the EATG as part of the CoPE project. The goal of Yuriy’s project is to provide access to methodological literature on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of viral hepatitis B and C for healthcare professionals of various specialties, as well as for social workers who serve as consultants to representatives of key communities. The document places special emphasis on care for patients with co-morbidities of viral hepatitis with tuberculosis and HIV. For Ukraine, the brochure is unique, incorporating modern standards of diagnosis and treatment, as well as the unique experience of a civil society organization in providing medical and social services to patients with hepatitis B, C, and co-infections using online counseling methods, which is particularly necessary in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Developed a plan for distributing the publication. To ensure maximum reach among the target audience, the document was posted on the organization’s website and subsequently shared via social media.
In addition, 3,000 copies were distributed to national non-governmental organizations providing assistance to key communities (the “100% Life Network” NGO, the “Association of Professional Chaplains of Ukraine,” the “Association of Christian Rehabilitation Centers for People with Addictions,” “National Hotline for Viral Hepatitis”).
Thanks to the brochure’s placement on the BCD civil society organization’s website and its distribution via the Facebook page using targeted advertising, a reach of up to 100,000 readers per month was achieved. Original text of the publication on the EATG website
