Back in 2012 Residential Land made a generous donation towards an emergency shelter to help homeless young women and girls at risk of HIV in Ukraine. The country has one of the of Europe’s worst AIDS epidemics with just 1 in 6 people infected with HIV on treatment – worse than in some African countries. 30% of women who live on the streets are estimated to be HIV positive.
Due to Residential Land’s donation and support, Elton John AIDS foundation was able to partner with a local charity called HealthRight to give a lifeline to hundreds of vulnerable women and their children in Ukraine. This project assisted women and girls who lived on the streets – women from unstable and abusive environments and the victims of sexual attacks at constant risk of contracting HIV. With the money that was donated charity was able to provide safe accommodation and range of services, such as HIV testing, counselling and childcare.
During the course of this project, the charity have been able to enrol over 1,000 young women in HealthRisk Service Centre in Kiev and over 600 of their children. Halfway House is a safe space for their most vulnerable clients has provided refuge to around 100 women and their children.
Four years on with the help of our initial funding for this project, both the Service Centre and Halfway House have been recognised as pioneering models of service provision and have been backed financially by the Ukrainian Government. This means HealthRight – which has also received further funding from MAC AIDS Fund to provide HIV – focused services to young women in Kiev – will be able to continue this important work well into the future.