Since 2019, the Collectif haïtien d’aide et d’appui social, CHAAPES, has been working with key populations in the department of Artibonite and Centre, including Harsah, men who have sex with men, sex workers (SWs) and transgender people.
Together with the Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education (FOSREF), CHAAPES’ main funder, CHAAPES has made concrete interventions in the department of Artibonite through the PEPFAR project (the Presidential Emergency Plan for the Fight against AIDS), which affects only Gonaïves, and the Global Fund project, which affects Gros Morne and Marmelade.
The PEPFAR project focuses primarily on HIV and other STI prevention, testing and psychosocial care for vulnerable groups.
. “When we talk about prevention, we distribute condoms and lubricants, we do sensitization and sexual education sessions for the key population”, says Mr. Jean Gilles. “Then we do screening, either institutional, meaning the person goes directly to a FOSREF center, or community-based through peer educators who have been trained for this purpose. They went into the communities to screen their peers (harsah). Those who are positive will be directed to a FOSREF site, either in Gonaïves or in Saint-Marc for the necessary treatments”, continues the coordinator.
In January 2022, the Haitian collective of aid and social support, CHAAPES, is starting an awareness project on COVID-19, Steeve JEAN GILLES informs.
Unlike Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital and other cities in Haiti, Gonaives is the place where the LGBTI community suffers less discrimination, said Steeve Jean Gilles, coordinator of the Haitian collective of assistance and support to social emancipation, CHAAPES.
“For now, we are looking for funds to carry out other social and educational activities for the emancipation of LGBTI population in Artibonite. And we would like the association to have an income-generating activity in order to undertake our own initiatives”, says Mr. Jean Gilles.