DONOR:
Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF)
NAME OF GRANT:
CODE Strategies Project:
Community-Led Online and Digital Engagements to Reduce HIV Prevalence and Advance Equity among LGBTQI+ in Asia-Pacific
PRINCIPAL RECIPIENT:
APCOM Foundation
SUB RECIPIENT:
Aastha Parivaar (with technical support from The Humsafar Trust), India
Sex workers and LGBTQ+ communities in Mumbai and Thane face persistent stigma and barriers to HIV services. testBOM builds community-led digital demand generation onto Aastha Parivaar’s trusted grassroots networks, with The Humsafar Trust — India’s first LGBTQ+ community-based organisation — providing technical support.
Introduction / About the project:
testBOM is the India country campaign of the CODE Strategies project, implemented by Aastha Parivaar, a community-led organisation uniting bar dancers, street-based, home-based, male and transgender sex workers in Mumbai and Thane. The campaign uses social media outreach to direct communities to HIV testing and PrEP services, and links digital engagement with district-level coordination.
Project Objectives / Goals:
- Reduce HIV infections among young LGBTQI+ people and key populations through digital demand generation.
- Strengthen community capacities to lead online awareness, advocacy, and person-centred health approaches.
- Widen availability and accessibility of community-led HIV prevention tools such as PrEP, HIV testing, and person-centred care.
- Increase the agency of LGBTQI+ communities to report human rights violations and influence policy responses.
Activities:
- Community-led online campaigns and social media outreach directing users to HIV testing and PrEP services in Mumbai.
- Community outreach and testing referrals through Aastha Parivaar’s partner networks.
- A sensitisation workshop on person-centred care for 30 frontline healthcare workers of the Targeted Intervention project supported by Mumbai District AIDS Control Society, focused on inclusive, non-discriminatory and community-friendly HIV service delivery.
- Participation of MSM and youth representatives in district-level community resource groups, and coordination with district authorities in Mumbai to strengthen referral systems.
- Generation and dissemination of country-level evidence on HIV incidence among LGBTQI+ communities to inform programme planning and advocacy.
Partners:
The Humsafar Trust, Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS), district authorities and community resource groups.
“I am thankful to the CODE project for providing us with this opportunity to mobilise LGBTQ+ communities and connect them with HIV testing and PrEP-related services. The Digital CLM tool is a powerful tool for advocacy, and I hope that we will be able to leverage and sustain this initiative.”
— Murugesan S., CODE Project Focal Point, Aastha Parivaar
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