Promoting Prevention and Raising Awareness in Russia

Since 2008, Merck has supported the efforts of dance4life in Russia. Dance4life specifically addresses unhealthy attitudes, lack of awareness about sexual and reproductive health and protection against HIV/STIs/unwanted pregnancy, and promotes active involvement of young people in policy making and governance. The goal of the program is to involve youth in the fight against HIV/AIDS by reinforcing the dance4life approach in 31 regions of Russia. Since its inception, the program has reached 32 regions in the Russian Federation, visited 301 schools, reached out to over 27,000 students through its "Heart Connection" tours, and engaged over 8,000 students in its life skills program.

Merck has also supported the Social Partnership Development Fund in the Russian Federation to expand HIV prevention and community outreach projects. The strategic aim of this program is to raise awareness of HIV treatment among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), medical specialists, service providers and healthcare officials. The SPDF has provided web-based updates on HIV treatment and care guidelines, expanded HIV information on drug registration/availability and developed and disseminated materials on HIV treatment in Russian language.

Supporting PLWHA in Turkey

The Positive Living Association (PLA or Pozitif Yasam Dernegi or PYD in Turkish) was founded to build a network among people who are living with HIV/AIDS to ensure that they have better access to treatment, improve their living standards, and strengthen them physically, psychologically and socially to carry out advocacy activities to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS. In 2009 and 2010, Merck provided support to PLA to help support their efforts to provide HIV services, education and training through case management, peer support, and support groups in Turkey. The PLA support center is acknowledged as the primary source of information for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Educating and Empowering Young People to raise awareness and promote prevention: U CH00SE (Bulgaria) and "You Will Not Be Alone" Rehabilitation Center (Estonia)

Since 2009, Merck has supported the U Ch00se campaign in Bulgaria to build awareness about the impact and prevention of STDs (mainly HIV/AIDS and HPV) among youth/young adults between the ages of 11-26 in Bulgaria. The project utilizes an educational platform that incorporates a series of healthcare approaches in disseminating information, encourages communication to promote the key messages, and uses peer education. Since its inception the campaign has:

• Established online presence with www.uchoose.bg, which includes educational information, a blog, and allows for an open dialogue about topics that can be hard to talk about
• Produced a film profiling the youth point of view on the issue of STDs

In Estonia, Merck has supported the "You Will Not Be Alone" rehabilitation center, which began in response to the increase in drug addiction and HIV infection. The program seeks to reduce risky behavior in adolescents and young adults living in the eastern part of Estonia (Ida-Virumaa Province) through a combination of information, education, life skills training, counseling on self-assertion, values and social norms. The center provides skills to develop personal self-esteem and competency skills to assess consequences of, and avoid, risky behaviors to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS. Key activities have included:

• "Debates Around HIV" – 300 teens (ages 14-18) participated; 80 active debate speakers trained; debate competition held with 10 schools participating; summer camp seminars held; interactive training and website activated
• "Social Interactive Theatre for Youth"
• "Socio–therapeutic Social Connections" – Six specialists were trained to conduct field research about knowledge regarding the risks of HIV/AIDS; in–person survey of PLHIV fielded (ages 26-35)

Supporting Vulnerable Immigrant Populations: Israel AIDS Task Force

The Israel AIDS Task Force (IATF) is the leading organization working to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS in Israel, while providing cutting-edge psychosocial support services to people living with HIV (PLWHV). Since 2010, Merck has supported the IATF's efforts to reach out to Ethiopian immigrants in Israel.