The project aims at preventing STIs/HIV/AIDS spread among vulnerable groups (i.e. Female Sex Workers, Injecting Drug Users and Men Having Sex with Men) through changing their risky behaviors. 

The project’s objectives are as follows:

1. To enable the vulnerable groups to face STIs/HIV/AIDS risky situation through peer education approach using participatory methods;

2. To increase the accessibility of vulnerable groups to friendly and adequate prevention and care services through mobile units and peer outreach activities;

3. To improve and expand the STIs/HIV/AIDS and injecting drugs referral system for vulnerable groups through building the capacities and involving partners and networks from NGOs in the six Lebanese areas that will represent the six administrative governorates in Lebanon.

The various activities of the project will be implemented in the following governorates: Beirut, Mount Lebanon, North, Bekaa, South Lebanon and Nabatiyeh. Cities and rural areas within the governorates will be targeted by local NGOs. 

    After more than 7 years of implementing outreach awareness among vulnerable groups in Lebanon, SIDC is planning to enrich its project through adding a variability of activities and services in order to better facilitate behavior change among vulnerable groups. In addition, SIDC is opting to enlarging the circle of partners through involving additional parties and stakeholders to be a part of the outreach work. Therefore, SIDC chose a range of activities as follows:

- Conduct a needs assessment in each governorate: 6 months of assessment and mapping within the governorates which include meetings with local stakeholders, NGOs, peers and sample from the target group.

- Identify and involve a group of Focal NGOs: from the 6 Lebanese governorates to be partners in the project.

- Identify and train a new group of peer educators: and involve the oldest group in the workshops and the future fieldwork.

- Expand and reactivate the pre-established referral system: The referral will be gathering NGOs, GOs and health care centers that offer a wide range of services (health, social, financial…).

- Activate 2 mobile unit services: in Beirut and other governorates especially where there is a lack of services.

- Strengthen the project through a group of stakeholders: In order to gain more support, a group of local and national authorities will be involved in the project.

- Outreach among vulnerable groups using two approaches: 1) in door activities i.e. group awareness sessions, social and recreational activities, etc and 2) out door activities i.e. outreach, condom distribution, raising awareness, referral, syringe distribution, etc.

Over the two years, the project outputs will be as follows:

1.  Needs assessment report done

2.  Peer Educators (PE) Training module and corresponding education material developed

3.  Thirty peer educators from the three populations recruited and trained

4.  Two training workshops and two refreshers conducted for PE

5.  Partnership with six NGOs established

6.  Advisory committee established and met

7.  Two one-day capacity development workshop for the 19 NGOs on networking and services available

8.  A booklet on available services produced and 5,000 copies distributed

9.  A referral system with 19 NGOs working in Lebanon established

10. A Plan of action in the 6 governorates developed

11. Two mobile units equipped and activated to cover the 6 Lebanese governorates

12. 1500 person from the vulnerable groups reached (500 MSM, 500 FSW and 500 IDU)

13. 2000 syringes distributed

14. 8000 condom distributed

15. 1000 voluntary confidential counseling and testing done

16. Monitoring and Evaluation mechanism established and implemented, evaluation report on the implementation done

17. Two six-month progress reports and yearly final reports provided.