World AIDS Day celebration at Kathmandu, Nepal

The pace of progress in reducing new HIV infections, increasing access to treatment, and ending AIDS-related deaths is slowing down. There is a crisis in the HIV response. Over the last five years, the world has failed to meet any of the targets for prevention, diagnosis and treatment set out in the 2016 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, with progress on HIV prevention lagging particularly far behind. 

Data from UNAIDS;

1.7

MILLION

people were newly infected with HIV in 2019

38

MILLION

people were living with HIV

690

THOUSAND

people died of AIDS-related illnesses

           OUR RESPONSE

PREVENTION

The Shanti Foundation leads a comprehensive campaign to test individuals for HIV, link HIV-positive individuals to care, provide state-of-the-art HIV prevention barriers to those who need it most, and advocate for national and international support for groundbreaking, new prevention methods.

TREATMENT

Currently, there are 23.3 million people globally on HIV treatment. A person living with HIV who starts antiretroviral therapy today will have the same life expectancy as an HIV-negative person of the same age. However, accessibility and affordability remain the major concern for all. 

Shanti Foundation has been providing free treatment services to people living with HIV whether it is a new person starting HIV treatment for the first time, restarting antiretroviral therapy or those suffering from opportunistic infections who fall under the treatment service of the Shanti Foundation. Accessibility, affordability, and quality remain at the heart of treatment service for people living with HIV so do for the Shanti Foundation interventions to promote their ability to live more healthy, and productive lives.

SHELTER

Shanti Foundation works directly within communities to identify problems and assists women with accessing necessary treatment where In order to access advanced treatment these women must travel and remain in Kathmandu throughout the duration of their treatment process, where they often have no place to stay upon their arrival. The Shanti Foundation provides shelter in order to provide them with safe accommodation and access to quality care and treatment. In addition to providing a safe place to stay, each person’s healthcare situation will be monitored by the Shanti Foundation under the supervision of a shelter supervisor. This includes medication adherence, a balanced nutritional diet, and support in accessing medical visits and appointments and assisting in managing their trauma through counseling. Further emergency medical rooms for the assistance in emergency of clients will be set up to act as first aid in an emergency.

This shelter provides them with a safe place which they can call home where they can feel comfortable and safe environment without fear of stigma and discrimination because of their health status, respect for clients’ privacy and confidentiality, and provide an opportunity for the women and children to get to know themselves and each other through mutual support.

CAPACITY BUILDING

From prevention to sustainable livelihood, the Shanti Foundation works directly with people living with HIV and like-minded stakeholders to address their specific capacity-building needs in a variety of ways.

Our capacity building is focused on sustainable livelihood and economic empowerment of people living with HIV by tailoring training specific to the training and development needs of individuals, and groups that address the special needs and issues of people living with HIV and other vulnerable populations.

ADVOCACY

Policy initiatives by the Shanti Foundation work to improve services for and protect the rights of, people living with and those vulnerable to HIV. In coordination and collaboration with HIV/AIDS community, service providers, ministries, and National Center for AIDS and STD control, Shanti Foundation works to achieve legislative change and development.