Voice Of Women

Dear All,

We want you to hear us through this blog and support the causes. We are fighting for our existence in Nepal. The situation of female drug users is getting critical and neglected day by day . Me,being one of them i want to contribute to change the scenario of female drug users in Nepal. If you have any comments and suggestions please don't hesitate to write us .

Thanking you,

Parina Subba Limbu ,

Program Director,

Dristi Nepal( Women For Recovery)

Establishement of Regional Office

It is our honor to announce you that Dristi Nepal(women for recovery ) has established its Regional Office in Dharan from 18th October,2008 to address the issues of female drug users and to provide information to the hidden target group .Dristi Nepal has been providing services and advocating for the rights of female drug users and WLHA since 2006 with the help of community and dedicated staffs. Dristi Nepal has reached various regions and found the lack of services and the bridge in between the female substance users and the service providers / community .

Following services are available from our regional office :-

• Information /Outreach (HIV/AIDS)

• Awareness

• Individual and Family counselling ( for female drug users /WLHA)

• Referrals

• Hotline

• Advoacacy

On behalf of Dristi Nepal , we would like to thank Futures Group International, USAID/ASHA Project in believing us to reach here and who supported us directly and indirectly and looking forward to your suuport in the future too. .

"Without your support it would not have been possible "

“Your contributions could bring a change to our children future “

This to inform you all that Dristi Nepal is going to do a fund raiser event for all those children of female substance users’ education on September 1st at Hotel Malla. This event will advocate the rights to education for children especially of the female substance users who are being neglected by the funding agencies and the government. Therefore it is high time that every people from community should start acting towards this un-noticed cause. As we’ll be celebrating Teej Festival (Women’s Festival of Nepal), we would like to welcome all the Nepali women to join us raise fund and show that solidarity towards our under privileged children of female substance users.

Date: - 1st September, 2008
Venue: - Hotel Malla, Lainchaur, Kathmandu
Time: - 10 AM onwards
Highlights of the day: - Exhibition with fashion show
For further details please contact:-
Dristi Nepal 016214906

FUND RAISING EVENT FOR FREE TREATMENT

Dristi Nepal believes that every female drug user has to have choices as other non users regarding their lives and the factors that affect their lives. Dristi Nepal ,(Treatment and care home) has been running since 2007 .Truth but bitter ,till this date none of the funding agencies are concerned about female drug user's issues in Nepal.
Female drug users are facing a wide range of problems in Nepal. The lack of understanding of these differences is affecting FDUs in seeking and receiving effective treatment for their addiction. Despite the limited existence of information and opportunities available for female substance users for treatment and after care, they do not feel competent to expose themselves as (recovering) drug users, nor able to promote their livelihood and productively reintegrate back into the society.
The problem is aggravated by the existing strong traditions that keep females behind the doors in all aspects of socio- economic and political issues. When it comes to accessing the essential services and resources, females face a double tragedy. It is the feminization of poverty. In addition to lack of basic services, they lack the basic knowledge therefore they are handicapped in making decisions regarding their lives and those they take care of.

Dristi Nepal is organizing "MUSICAL CONCERT" , to advocate for the rights of female drug users and to raise fund for free treatment for female drug users of Nepal with in 2 months of period.

"We do recover , we are the proof "

Introduction

Substance abuse is one of the major problems among young people our communities. They are also highly vulnerable to contracting HIV. Female drug users are no exception.

The alarming trend of female drug use has been going unnoticed by the government and local communities. This is why Dristi Nepal was established as the first non-profit organization of its kind. It addresses issues concerning female drug use and HIV prevention. Female drug users are helped by female ex-drug users into and through recovery.

Its’ mission is to create a stigma and discrimination free society for female drug users
in Nepal and prevent them from contracting HIV/AIDS.

Our vision is to provide care, treatment and support for female drug users and help reintegrate them in the society.

Objectives

• To provide an enabling environment for care, treatment and support to female drug users and their children
• To provide skills-based programs to female ex-drug users
• To advocate for the rights of female drug users and PLWHAs
• To reintegrate female drug users into the community
• To raise awareness about drugs and HIV/AIDS in the communities
• To create a network of female drug-users on national level

Services

• Drop-In Center (DIC) with a friendly environment
• Information and outreach services
• Awareness
• Individual and family counseling
• Recreational activities for female drug users
• Primary health care for drug users and the community
• Treatment and care home
• Referrals
• Hotline

Activities of the year 2008

Regional Consultation Meeting in Pokhara
Place :- Pokhara
Supported by :- Constella Futures /ASHA Project

The socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS is severe. The vulnerability of HIV/AIDS among female drug users are highly alarming .Due to the lack of proper supporting mechanism a large number of female drug users are at high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. They will not only be unable to work, but will also required significant medical care and social protection. The forecast is that unless some urgent measures are taken the spread of HIV would cause a collapse of economies in various regions.


The regional consultation meeting with the target group(FIDUs/DUs) was very effective .


This consultation meeting had bridged the gaps between the existing service providers and the target group. Furthermore organizations came jointly to a conclusion to coordinate with each other to address the issues of the target group. This event brought different ideas and plans to move forward to work with female substance users in this region thus helping in prevention of HIV/AIDS and STIs among one of the most vulnerable sectors of the population.

Proposal Writing Training

It is of no surprise that women drug users are under many social inequalities when their experiences of stigma and discrimination can be so pervasive. This situation is not helped by the fact that opportunities in most parts of the world are designed for men, leaving the specific needs of female drug users unaddressed. Dristi Nepal organized 2 Proposal Writing Training at the training hall of the organization .The aim of the training was to empower FIDUs/DUs and to give the knowledge of proposal and the responsibility of the staff. The workshop was attended by 15 participants.