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Daniela and Voda were among the first thirty to be trained as peer educators. Voda explains, “We have a strategy. At the first meeting, we talk with the kids and become friends. Explain to them that I’ve lived on the streets. By the second or third meeting, we can give them information on STIs, HIV, other things.”
Launched in September 2001, USAID’s program works directly with street children in Bucharest through trained peer educators to inform and educate them about health, especially HIV/AIDS and other STIs. In addition to the psychological hurdles they face, homeless youth are vulnerable to physical and sexual abuse, STIs, and drug use.
According to Daniela, suspicion can be an obstacle. “Getting them to HIV testing centers is difficult because they don’t trust you and they don’t believe they are sick. We take four or five at a time for testing because they are more comfortable going as a group.”
“The work is not easy, especially with kids who are high on drugs. Sometimes they catch a bit of information that will help them later,” Voda says. “They learn about health, not just about STIs. That’s one part, but it’s life education. We try to change their lives a little.”
Each participant in the program has an amazing individual story. “Until ARAS, I lived on the streets,” says Daniela, who ran away when she was eight to escape physical abuse. “It feels good working with street children, showing them that there is a possibility to change your life.”
In addition to outreach work, the project has created a forum with other non-governmental agencies to address STIs and other health needs of homeless youth, and has conducted research on the behaviors of street children so that data is available to health and social service authorities.
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