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Improving support: the mental health module in OneImpactUkraine Recently, our team held an important meeting, where a new mental health module for OneImpactUkraine was presented. This tool is designed to help people living with tuberculosis find psychological support and resources to maintain emotional balance. In just a week, the module will be integrated into the live version of the application. This means that every OneImpact user will have access to new features to help cope with stress, anxiety, and other challenges during treatment. Our goal is to make support available not only at the treatment level, but also in the field of mental health. After all, mental health directly affects treatment outcomes and quality of life. OneImpactUkraine has already established itself as a reliable partner for TB patients, providing: - Online consultations with doctors and psychologists. - he ability to track treatment progress. - Access to useful information and a support community. With the introduction of the new module, we are taking the level of help to a new level. We thank the entire team working on this important update, and we look forward to seeing users benefit from the new functionality. This activity has been produced with financial assistance of Expertise France and CO TBpeopleUkraine. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the CF «SOCIAL EQUATION HUB» and may under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of Expertise France and CO «TBPeopleUkraine».

📍 We continue the series of publications on the initiative of SoS_Project 2.0 in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region. Today we talk about the reform of the support system for HIV-positive people in Armenia. ☝️ Expanding access to services In Armenia, for about 30 years, all services for people living with HIV were provided centrally — in one specialized center in Yerevan. However, the situation changed after 2020, when the Ministry of Health of Armenia began the process of decentralizing HIV testing. 💬 “We conducted numerous trainings for medical professionals on HIV, treatment protocols, and combating discrimination. The results of decentralizing testing are already obvious — the level of stigma and discrimination among doctors working with HIV-positive patients has significantly decreased,” shares Zhenya Mailyan, regional consultant for the SoS_Project 2.0 project. ☝️ Pilot project in three regions In 2022, a pilot project to decentralize treatment in three regions was launched with the support of UNAIDS and the Global Fund. Treatment is now available in local medical facilities, which reduces barriers for patients. 💬 “The National Center for Infectious Diseases and the NGO Real World, Real People inform beneficiaries about the possibility of treatment on the ground, allaying their fears about local services,” says Kamo Davtyan, the project’s regional consultant. ☝️ Funding challenges Funding for HIV programs in Armenia still depends on the Global Fund. In 2024, the share of state funding reached 60% ($1.6 million), but this is not enough to expand services.☝️Trainings on Budget Advocacy and Business Continuity Local NGOs, representatives of international organizations and the Ministry of Health participated in a two-day training on health service continuity planning organized by SEH on March 19-20, 2024. Another meeting on social procurement and service standards was organized with members of the Country Coordination Committee at the National Institute of Health in Yerevan on March 20 of the same year. On November 12-13, 2024, a training on budget advocacy was held for representatives of Armenian NGOs, the National Coordination Committee, the Country Coordination Committee and the Ministry of Health/State Health Service. 💬 As the participants noted, “Despite the fact that many of us have been involved in advocacy for a long time, this meeting allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of different funding mechanisms, learn about the experiences of other countries and find very simple solutions to the problems that local NGOs face today.” ☝️HIV service pricing In August, the National Center for Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health of Armenia announced a competition for programs to support PLHIV and HIV prevention among vulnerable groups, funded by the Global Fund through public procurement.

Support, security and sustainability: results of SOS Project 2.0 in Kazakhstan As part of the SoS_project 2.0 project, experts from eight countries have joined forces to create sustainable solutions in the fight against HIV. At the final stage of the project, the "Social Equation Hub" team presents a series of interviews with representatives of the participating countries, where they share the results and experience of implementing the initiatives. Today we are talking about the success of the team from Kazakhstan. In 2024, Kazakhstan took an important step in the fight against the HIV epidemic, showing positive changes thanks to the SOS Project 2.0. For the first time in recent years, there has been a slight decrease in the incidence rate from 19.6 to 19.5 cases per 100,000 population. The result was especially noticeable among men, who make up 67.8% of new cases, while women make up 32.2%. Sustainable financing of prevention and treatment Kazakhstan is one of the first countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to provide free diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection at public expense. Thanks to the SoS_project 2.0 project and the support of partners, it was possible to increase the volume of the state social order, which made it possible to expand the coverage of preventive services and improve the sustainability of funding. The state allocated 246,210,481 tenge ($501,068.61) for social contracting, which is 60% of declared needs, and these funds cover critical preventive services, including: - Preventive programs: purchase of syringes, condoms, financing of outreach workers and NGOs, informational support. - Diagnostics: HIV screening test kits, immune status determination, rapid tests for key populations and pregnant women. - Treatment: procurement of ARV drugs, including for post-exposure prophylaxis In 2023, 4,192 people living with HIV started ART for the first time. Strengthening prevention programs Thanks to a Global Fund grant, personal protective equipment was provided to key groups, covering 90% of the needs of NGOs and 10% of regional centers. 52,610 people were reached, which is 66% of the estimated number of PWID, and over 11 million syringes were distributed. Social contracting allowed NGOs to receive government funding to provide sustainable services to PLHIV, including in remote regions. Social contracting training was also conducted, which helped NGOs gain new knowledge and more actively apply for government tenders. Thanks to this, many organizations were able to attract additional funds to expand their activities. “This mechanism allowed to ensure the sustainability and accessibility of services, especially for patients in remote regions, where ART services are provided once every six months, which reduces the need for frequent trips to regional AIDS centers,” - Nurali Amanzholov, an international consultant from Kazakhstan.

🌐 On November 12 and 13, a two-day online training on budget advocacy and social contracting in the field of HIV was held. The online format allowed to gather representatives of different sectors, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCMs), which include representatives of state structures, the Ministry of Health, the National Center for Disease Control and Specialized Centers for HIV/AIDS. The goal of the training was to raise awareness of the importance of budget advocacy, exchange successful cases from the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, as well as develop effective approaches to the implementation of social contracting. Participants were introduced in detail to successful practices from Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova and other countries that are actively implementing innovative solutions in the field of financing HIV programs and services. The first day was devoted to social contracting issues. The trainer was Ilim Sadikov, an international consultant for the Sos project and a civil society representative at the Global Fund. His experience and recommendations on effective social contracting mechanisms allowed us to gain new knowledge and were very useful. The second day focused on budget advocacy: how it affects decision-making and which tools are the most effective, and the international consultant for the project, Mari Chokheli, shared regional experience and cases from Georgia. Participants noted the value of such training for raising awareness and exchanging experiences of both successful practices and problematic issues. The training was interactive and participants from Armenia actively shared their experiences, including on providing ARV therapy to migrants from Armenia abroad, in order to improve access to services for people living with HIV. The activity was created by Social Equation Hub within the framework of the regional project «Constancy of services for key population groups in the regions of Eastern Europe and Central Asia» (#SoS_project2.0 SoS_project), which is implemented by a consortium of organizations led by Альянс громадського здоров'я Alliance for Public Health in partnership with «100% життя» - Мережа ЛЖВ with the financial support of The Global Fund.

💊 Approaches to the fight against tuberculosis: adaptation of best practices in Ukraine A working group meeting was held on November 19 to help healthcare facilities develop plans to ensure continuity of healthcare services. The participants worked on a strategy that should adapt WHO recommendations to Ukrainian realities and provide patients with access to treatment even in emergency situations. During the meeting, previous developments were analyzed, possible improvements were discussed, and optimal ways of implementation were sought. The team of the Center for Public Health shared their comments and suggestions for the document, in particular regarding improving the effectiveness of anti-tuberculosis facilities. Together with WHO, we are working to build a sustainable health system that will ensure uninterrupted care for patients, including those fighting TB. This is key to maintaining people's health in difficult conditions.

Support, security and sustainability: results of SOS Project 2.0 in Uzbekistan As part of the "SoS_project 2.0" project, experts from 8 countries worked on the implementation of sustainable solutions in the field of HIV, the transition from donor funding to budget funding, and the development of social contracting. At the end of this phase of the project, our organization is launching a series of interviews with representatives of the participating countries to talk about their achievements and experiences. Today we talk about activities and results in Uzbekistan. ☝️ New challenges and barriers The health care system of Uzbekistan has faced new challenges in providing antiretroviral therapy (ART). Patients can now receive treatment closer to where they live, but at the same time difficulties have arisen for those who fear disclosing their diagnosis locally. A team of consultants works to remove these barriers by assisting such patients with medication delivery and transportation costs. 💬 "Our goal is to provide access to treatment for everyone in need, including those who live in remote regions or encounter difficulties due to lack of documents," - shares international consultant Dilnosa Avazova. ☝️ Problems with the financing of preventive services remain relevant:  one of the key initiatives was the development of social contracting, for which 1 billion was allocated. 800 million UZS ($150,000) for the implementation and financing of model projects in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan.In addition, in 2024, the team successfully prepared and submitted three project proposals to the Fund for the Promotion of Civil Society and Public Organizations at the Olei Majlis. A community-led monitoring project for the provision of medicines for HIV infection, tuberculosis and viral hepatitis C was also supported. 💬 "For sustainable financing, it is very important that the state expands support for programs aimed at key population groups. This will help reduce barriers and ensure the uninterrupted operation of medical and social services for PLHIV, especially for children and adolescents," - emphasizes international consultant Serhiy Uchaev. ☝️ Training and new approaches  In 2024, specialists from Uzbekistan received training on the implementation of international standards, including improving the qualifications of primary care specialists, which is important for effective work, especially in remote areas. The "Patient School" - standards for providing services in primary care and on the basis of NGOs - was also developed and approved. In addition, a draft law on the decriminalization of HIV infection has been submitted, which may initiate important changes in the legislation of Uzbekistan.

How cryptocurrency makes charity more transparent Imagine that every donation made through cryptocurrency is displayed as a dot on the map of the charity process, where every stage is visible thanks to the blockchain. Every transaction is recorded and stored on the blockchain, allowing donors to track how funds move from the moment of donation to the end of use. This allows you to see the whole picture: from the moment of donation to the moment it reaches a specific project. Crypto platforms for charity open up new opportunities for non-governmental organizations: reduce costs for financial services, enable instant transactions without borders and create conditions for attracting a young, technologically savvy audience. ✅ Social Equation Hub knows that such transparency can help NGOs build more trusting relationships with their donors and attract even more people ready to support important social projects.

Cooperation with WHO: improving the plan for continuous provision of medical services in Ukraine Recently, a meeting of the working group was held, which is working on the development of the document "Planning for the continuity of the provision of medical services in case of emergency situations in the field of health care." The participants of the meeting discussed the preliminary version of the document and offered ideas for its improvement. Representatives of the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine made proposals aimed at increasing the efficiency and practical implementation of this plan in anti-tuberculosis medical institutions. Together with the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health and WHO, we are working on adapting international recommendations to take into account the specifics of Ukraine. This is an important step for strengthening the national health care system, increasing its resilience and readiness to respond to any challenges. Thanks to this initiative, every patient with tuberculosis will be able to receive the necessary care, even in emergency situations. This activity has been produced with financial assistance of Expertise France and CO TBpeopleUkraine. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the CF «SOCIAL EQUATION HUB» and may under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of Expertise France and CO «TBPeopleUkraine».

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, which once again reminds of the importance of mental health care. Especially considering the constant increase in the number of stressful situations. However, at the same time, it is important to emphasize how modern technologies not only help in the treatment of diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), but also contribute to improving the mental state of patients. For example, the mental health module, the development of which we are completing for the OneImpactUkraine application, enables patients to monitor the progress of treatment, receive up-to-date information and seek psychological support to maintain their mental health. Also, in cooperation with the Scientific and Educational Center for Mental Health, the development of two educational modules for improving the psychosocial support of TB patients is nearing completion. We work to ensure that patients receive support from doctors and psychologists in a way that is convenient for them, thereby making the health care system more resilient to today's challenges. This activity has been produced with financial assistance of Expertise France and CO TBpeopleUkraine. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the CF «SOCIAL EQUATION HUB» and may under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of Expertise France and CO TBPeopleUkraine.

Overview of crowdfunding platforms in Ukraine and the world It's no secret that in today's world, crowdfunding has become one of the most effective tools for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) seeking to raise funds for important social and charitable projects. From global platforms to local initiatives, crowdfunding allows not only to raise resources, but also to raise awareness of an issue, create communities of supporters and build trust between organizations and the public. We compare several popular global and Ukrainian platforms: 🌍 GoFundMe – Its simplicity and accessibility make it ideal for quick campaigns with a large reach. (Suitable for NGOs) 🌍 Patreon is focused on projects that need regular support. The platform allows subscribers to make monthly contributions, which is ideal for NGOs that have recurring expenses or work in content creation and education. (Not suitable for NGOs) 🌍 Indiegogo is one of the most popular platforms for innovative projects and startups. It is suitable for NGOs that work on unique products or need significant seed funding for large-scale projects. (Not suitable for NGOs) 🇺🇦 HelpSpace is a Ukrainian platform that connects non-governmental organizations with cryptophilanthropy. It involves about 30 public organizations that will become part of the decentralized ecosystem.  (Suitable for NGOs) 🇺🇦 Bigggidea (Spilnokost) is the largest Ukrainian platform that allows you to raise funds for creative, cultural and social projects.   (Not suitable for NGOs) 🇺🇦 My City is a great tool for NGOs that want to implement local initiatives and attract the support of citizens to solve local problems.  (Suitable for NGOs) Each of these platforms has its own features that can be most effective for certain projects. Choose a platform according to your needs and purpose to successfully implement your social initiatives.