SKOSH Projects in EECA Region
Migrants represent a vulnerable group with difficulties accessing health and human rights, but migrants who use drugs or are affected by HIV are especially vulnerable. SKOSH is commited to enhancing the health and well-being of these migrants, especially women, across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. By addressing critical health issues such as HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis, access to drug treatment, gender-affirmative services and legal support we aim to bridge gaps in healthcare accessibility and knowledge. Through collaborative efforts with local community groups and international partners, we endeavor to provide migrants with the necessary tools and information to improve their health and protect their rights well-being in challenging environments. We also offer a technical support to organizations working with marginalized groups. This initiative aims to empower local entities through enhanced access to technology and specialized resources, enabling them to effectively serve and uplift their communities affected by drugs, HIV, health and legal problems.
2022-2024. Community Center in Tbilisi:
Empowering Through Community Care
Donors: Levi Strauss Foundation (LSF) and Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+)
Project Description: In response to the urgent needs of young Russian-speaking individuals forced to flee their homes due to war, SKOSH helped ARF to establish the Community Center for Mental Health and Harm Reduction in Tbilisi, Georgia. These young war migrants found themselves severed from their roots and families, facing traumatic experiences and the looming possibility of mobilization. Consequently, this environment led to a concerning rise in self-medication, with many resorting to dangerous combinations of benzodiazepines and alcohol, the primary substances available in Georgia. Moreover, the Georgian public health system was ill-equipped to handle such a massive influx of migrants, leaving many without access to primary medical care, let alone mental health services.
The Community Center, rooted in the belief in equal access to mental health care and the transformative power of communities, was established to address the needs of these young war migrants. It upholds a participatory and integrative approach to combat the mental health challenges faced by this community.
The Center serves as a hub for various activities, offering individual therapy sessions, support groups (including support for LGBTQ+ individuals affected by high levels of homophobia and transphobia in Georgian society, support for people with neurodivergencies), and a diverse array of wellness practices such as yoga and therapeutic activities. Embracing the power of community care, the Center collaborates with local harm reduction NGOs and Georgian specialists to provide essential mental health services and harm reduction initiatives to those in need.
The Center’s integrative approach incorporates mental health education, offering courses in peer-to-peer counseling and hosting discussions on LGBTQ+ rights and mental health in Georgia. By embracing these values and approaches, the Community Center strives to create a supportive and inclusive environment for war migrants, emphasizing the importance of community-based care.
In 2023 alone, the Community Center facilitated 374 consultations on mental health. Committed to fostering community engagement and awareness, the center hosted various in-house events, including the Decolonial Cinema Club and multiple educational activities. These initiatives provided valuable information and platforms for open dialogue, shedding light on mental health issues and drug policies.
The center is implementing schools for peer psychologists to equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to provide peer mental health support, empowering them to address challenges in their communities effectively. The center took a proactive role in advancing scientific research, collaborating with Alternative Georgia on a study on changing drug scenes in Tbilisi due to war in Ukraine. By providing essential services, fostering community engagement, and contributing to research efforts, the Community Center plays a pivotal role in promoting mental health awareness, harm reduction, and other health services for migrants and social cohesion in Georgia.
2023. Supporting Sustainability for Tajikistan's HIV/TB Response
Donor: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Project Description: A short technical assistance project led by SKOSH aimed to strengthen Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Tajikistan regarding HIV and tuberculosis responses, focusing on sustainability within the national framework. Stemming from a previous effort to develop the Community Priorities Annex for the Global Fund’s NFM4 Funding Cycle, the project addressed critical sustainability issues identified in consultations with CSOs and affected communities in December 2022. It included a rapid needs assessment and a three-day sustainability training program, addressing challenges such as limited CSO involvement in decision-making and a lack of expertise in financial and sustainability strategizing.
Summary outcomes: The technical assistance emphasized gender-sensitive programming and addressed human rights and gender barriers in HIV programs, particularly focusing on the challenges faced by women from key populations. The three-day training program, adapted from the Eurasian Harm Reduction Association (EHRA) workshop, equipped CSOs with essential skills in financial management, resource mobilization, advocacy, and community building, aiming to empower them and foster gender equity within Tajikistan’s responses to HIV and tuberculosis.
2017. Migration and key populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Donor: AFEW-International
Amount: 1600€
Project goal: SKOSH partnered with AFEW International on a project carried out within the Bridging the Gaps program supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the scope of the regional work of Bridging the Gaps labor migrants who use drugs have been identified as a group that is very hard to reach with health messages and interventions.
Summary outcomes: A study with the overview of situation, gaps, and possibilities to address public health issues such as HIV, TB and Hepatitis has been carried out in several countries of EECA region, with focus on migrants from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The assessment included a survey with 1500 people in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, asking about knowledge on HIV, drug use, access to services etc. and 15 in-depth interviews carried out in Saint Petersburg (Russia) and Moscow (Russia) and in Almaty (Kazakhstan). The results of the study have been presented at several conferences, including at the International AIDS Conference AIDS 2018 in Amsterdam, A roundtable “Migration and HIV in EECA”, a Regional Dialogue on HIV and Migration in Central Asia.