ACTION RESEARCH CENTRE….for evidence based programming
PROGRAMS
HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care
HIV/AIDS Prevention and care among the key population in Thane city, Maharashtra
Donor: Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society (2017-Current)
Public Health Foundation of India/USAID (2014-17)
Avert Society, Mumbai/USAID (2007-10)
Action Research Centre has been involved in HIV/AIDS prevention and care among more than 4,000 key population members in Thane city since 2007. Key population members included domestic workers and female sex workers. Behavior change communication, condom promotion, STI care, advocacy with stakeholders have been the key strategies used in the program. ARC has been encouraging all the vulnerable and at risk men and women to test for HIV and know their HIV status in order to take ART treatment and prevent further infection through safe behavior. ARC provides counseling and testing services at drop-in-centre and mobile clinic that provide a safe space for the marginalized sub-group population.
Organizational Capacity Building
Organizational capacity assessment workshop
EPIC — Organizational development of local CBOs, KP-led organizations and PLHIV networks in Maharashtra for sustained programming
Donor: FHI360/USAID (2021-22)
Action Research Centre is an implementing partner (non-financial) of FHI360 that has been awarded Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) Project by USAID under PEPFAR funding. EpiC focuses on supporting country governments and civil society organizations to fill existing HIV prevention, case finding, and treatment gaps, and to build long-term sustainability to attain and maintain epidemic control.
EpiC is aimed at strengthening technical capacities of local CBOs, KP-led organizations and PLHIV networks to effectively manage and implement HIV programs; and to support in organizational systems strengthening so that they can contribute to the HIV response on a sustained basis. This capacity strengthening work will be supported in seven PEPFAR priority districts including Thane.
Life Skills Program Among Children
Life skills program among the children of key population
Donor: Aastha Parivar/FHI360/USAID (2019-20)
Family-centered approach was used to address the needs of children and care givers. The program leveraged the existing resources within government, communities and private sector to enhance support to children and their care givers. The intervention focused on economic stability, food security, health and nutrition, attendance and academic performance, and other psycho-social support. A special focus was given to vulnerable and at risk adolescent children, and especially girls. The program worked towards reducing the risk of physical, emotional and psychological injury to children due to exposure to violence at home and school.
Cross Border Migrants
Large scale community event among migrants in destination place
HIV/AIDS prevention and care among Nepali and Bangla speaking migrants – Source and destination intervention
Donor: CARE India/Big Lottery, UK (2010- July 2014)
HIV/AIDS prevention and care program among Nepali and Bangla speaking migrants was implemented in Mumbai for five years from 2010. The project addressed HIV risk and vulnerabilities among migrant men and women who lived in Mumbai but traveled to their place of origin at least once in a year. The project was able reach out to 60,000 migrants. It has been a first of its kind intervention among the cross-border migrants where NGOs on either side of the border partnered to provide HIV prevention and care services. ARC was able to establish cross border ART treatment linkages both at source (Nepal) and destination (Mumbai) places to ensure that the ART drugs were available at all times without any interruption. The project innovated different delivery mechanisms including mobile Drop-In-Centre, large scale community level infotainment programs for greater participation of the migrant community.
A report on Migration and HIV related Risk and Vulnerability among Migrants from Nepal
A report on National Stakeholders’ Consultation On HIV/AIDS and the Construction Sector
Skill Training and Enterpreurship Development
Women empowerment through skills training and entrepreneurship development in Thane city, Maharashtra
Donor: ARC/Partners for Health & Development, NY (2004-06)
Action Research Centre (ARC) has trained women from low-income households to acquire skills and become entrepreneurs themselves. Over three year period, more than 140 women in Thane sub-urban area have been trained in different income generation activities – including embroidery, dress-making, tie-and-dye, and making cloth-files and bags. The project was partly supported by the Partners for Health and Development, New York
Exhibition/sale stall of products
