Aghaz-e-Nau

AeN is working in slums of Lahore and has a network of 40 peer educators. They conduct seminars to create awareness on Drug use and HIV prevention. As a result AeN gets referrals from these areas. AeN is providing treatment and HIV prevention services to female Drug Users/Injecting Drug Users. Still there is a gap that needs to be filled by enhancing quality services for female drug users/injecting drug users and providing following services:   Implementation of appropriate behavior change interventions Provision of condoms and information on proper use and disposal Primary healthcare including wound dressing, abscess drainage and syndromic management of STIs using national guidelines Education on sexual and reproductive health and STIs, and access to acceptable and appropriate services for STIs Access to Voluntary Confidential Counseling and Testing (VCCT) services for Street-based IDUs and their regular sexual partners  “Ca...

The Lost Soul is a true story of one of my clients, written by me and being published with her consent. I believe her case history will be an eye opener for many of us. I am 30 years old and my story is really sad and tragic. This is what I feel but others might not feel this way because everyone has a different perspective of life. I think life is pleasurable and one should enjoy life. If I look back starting from early childhood till today I can't recall a single day of pleasure or joy in my life. I wanted to enjoy life: my childhood, my education, my career, my marriage and my children but I couldn't. I was a little kid when I lost myself and till today I am in search of myself. I don’t think I can find myself now because I have been diagnosed with drug abuse psychosis: a condition, which is known to be as "bipolar". I think others can learn a lot from my experience and it might help them from getting lost. I was the only child of my parents. My father was not doi...