The International Organization for Migration in Tajikistan continues its successful information campaigns on HIV prevention among migrant workers and their families in thirty-five districts of the country. The nine-month project (from April to December 2013) is supported by UNDP as part of the Global Fund against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s eight-round grant. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Migration Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Labour and Social protection as well as a network of local NGOs, 250.000 migrant workers and their families (100.000 migrants and 150.000 family members) will be covered by the project services.

In March-April 2013, IOM conducted a competition jointly with the Ministry of Health and the Migration Service for local NGOs to win a small grant for HIV prevention. On April 29, 2013, the twenty-two finalists of the competition gathered in the IOM office in Tajikistan to take part in an orientation meeting on project implementation. The goals and objectives of the project, expected results, and donor requests on financial and narrative reports were discussed. Special attention was paid to the referral of migrants, the results of the health referral hotline’s operation, and the development of success stories.  Experts of the Republic’s AIDS Control Center and the Republic’s TB Control Center raised the audience’s awareness on the epidemiologic situation of HIV and TB in Tajikistan. At the end of the meeting, agreements between IOM and the NGO partners were signed. Additionally, IOM provided methodology handouts, a documentary, Har yaki mo (Every one of us), and report forms for the outreach workers and volunteers.

During the nine months of the project’s implementation, 250.000 brochures on HIV prevention, 10.000 posters and 750.000 condoms will be distributed in the thirty-five target districts.