World Vision's first large HIV and AIDS prevention project aimed to reduce high risk sexual behavior among teenage girls in Moscow has been extended for another year due to the positive impact on the young women.

One of the goals of the project was through a number of trainings and seminars to prepare specialists from among school personnel in central Moscow, who in their turn would conduct trainings for young girls in their schools educating them about HIV and AIDS, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI).

'Personally this project was like receiving psychotherapy. I didn't know much about HIV and had certain fears, but now they are gone. I also heard many words of gratitude from the children who participated in the project,' said Elena Zhenodarova, Child Psychologist from the secondary school ¹ 1221 in Moscow.

While trained school personnel will enhance school capacities to educate young people on HIV and AIDS, the outreach component of the project focused on reaching street girls, a group that is most vulnerable and closed for access. Peer-to-peer counseling and informal discussions right on the street were aimed to positively influence adolescent girls with high risk behavior.

'We have never had any similar training in our school. I have learned a lot,' shared Lena, a 15 year-old schoolgirl from Moscow. 'I used to think of HIV as of an issue just too foreign and distant for me to be even bothered about. But now I realize how important it is to be educated about this problem. It can really save you from making wrong choices, which may affect the rest of your life.'

Sponsored by World Vision Germany and implemented in partnership with a local Nongovernmental Organization called 'Crossroads', this one-year project targeted girls aged from 12 to 18, both in Moscow City schools as well as vulnerable girls on the street, promoting reasonable knowledge, attitudes and practices among them.

'We have more than 10 years of experience in working on preventive social and psychological disadaptation of teenagers, and now, thanks to World Vision, we have been able to incorporate the component of HIV and AIDS prevention in our work, which has broadened the spectrum of our activities and provided many young people with access to this lifesaving information. We are truly excited to continue with World Vision for another year,' said Ana Tikhomirova, Director of Crossroads.


Donald Postnov, WVRF HIV and AIDS Coordinator, said, 'The uniqueness of this project was in approaching teenagers from different angles, including trainings at school, outreaches on the street, counseling at home and in special centres provided by Crossroads. As a child-focused organization, it is important for us to learn from the experience of others, who have already gained children's confidence. Next year we are planning to expend our work adding to the existing HIV and AIDS prevention practices a component of education on common human values and Christian ethics among the youth.'

Based on the positive impact of the project on youth in Moscow, it was decided to extend the timeframe of the project, which became possible due to the commitment of World Vision Switzerland to provide funding for another year.

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