Cambodian HIV/AIDS Education and Care (CHEC) grew out from an HIV/AIDS Education and Training Project of Quaker Service Australia (QSA). The organization was formally registered as local NGO with the Ministry of Interior in January 2001.

The mission statement of CHEC which was revised during the Strategic Planning workshops conducted in September, and November 2009, and is as follows:

CHEC works to empower communities and the general public to address Tuberculosis (TB)/HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs); Gender and Reproductive Health and to reduce stigma and discrimination against PLHIV/AIDS and their families.

The organizational Strategies of CHEC are to:

1. Consolidate the capacity building training, mentoring and support to all community structures working with HIV/AIDS in the areas targeted, culminating in the responsibility of the project being handed over to the communities, during the course of this project phase. CHEC will create a sense of self reliance and ownership of the response to HIV among community people.
2. Increase the focus on improving both knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS amongst youth/adolescence and women, through the training conducted by the community trainers and focal persons. This effort will be done through enhancing the capacity of these community trainers so that they can be role models, in the training and dissemination of information to youth and women.
3. Continue to mobilize resources, both in term of materials and skills development, to improve the quality of lives for PLHIV/AIDS. This will be done through the empowerment of PHLIV to personally gain access to these resources, with support from the local constituencies.
4. Expand work with key multi-media systems and networks, such as television, radio, public forums and conferences, which CHEC can use as the basis for targeted public education and advocacy on HIV/AIDS.
5. Increase CHEC's leading role in the provision of training services on HIV/AIDS to other institutions, both in the NGO and government sectors.

These strategies are met through the provision of training, media social marketing, and the expansion of participatory activities with affected communities. All of these strategies are coordinated to prevent TB, HIV/AIDS and STI transmission, access to services, reduce stigma and discrimination and to facilitate PLHIV support.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF PREVIOUS PROJECT PHASE:

At the organizational level:

• With strong and competent management in place, CHEC has been able to form a well functioning Board of Directors, comprising of men and women who have demonstrated a strong commitment to the work of CHEC

• Furthermore, with capacity building support, all staff working for CHEC are encouraged in their professional development through  training in the skills and knowledge relevant to their assigned responsibility, including management, field work and team work building

• The work of CHEC has been relevant and in accordance with the national strategic plan of the National AIDS Authority (NAA) 2006-2010; which has as its main focus:

-          Reduction in the spread of new cases of HIV infection

-          Provision of care and support for PLHIVs, families and their communities

-          Provision of socio-economic support for PLHIVs, families and their communities.

-          Reduction of stigmatization/discrimination  against PLHIVs and their families

• CHEC is acknowledged as one of the leading organizations in HIV/AIDS education in Cambodia. Whilst the prevalence rate of HIV has been significantly reduced from 2.6% in late 1990s to only 0.9% in 2008, there is no room for complacency, and the work of organisations such as CHEC will be vital to the continued reduction of new infections

• The Minister of Health awarded a Letter of Recognition to CHEC for their effort and commitment in supporting the implementation of a Continuum of Care and treatment in Prey Veng Province

• CHEC has become actively involved in forging numerous alliances and networks, both in the NGO sector and within government. Through these networks and alliances, CHEC is able to access to all government policies, law and other information relating to HIV/AIDS.

• CHEC has been contributing to the technical development of NGOs and other institutions in a wide range of HIV/AIDS related topics.

At the Community Level:

•         Since 2001, CHEC has established a strong Community Network for the delivery of health education, e.g. 2,199 CAG members were trained in Planning Monitoring and Evaluation, Counseling in HIV/AIDS, Community Management in HIV/AIDS Counseling, HIV/AIDS, TB and ARV education skills

•         The work of CHEC has been welcomed by PLHIVs and OVCs in the community, as it has assisted in the elimination of stigma and discrimination against PLHIV. Currently, theproject has supported 1,251 PLHIV/OVC, and with this support, they have demonstrated increased confidence resulting in better access to socio-economic support and medical treatment  and an enhanced quality of life

•         Effective collaboration with all of their development partners to mobilize resources to support  PLHIV/OVC; e.g.The World Food Programme provides support for food and CEDAC  provides support for Micro-agriculture management

•         Through the process of people empowerment, CHEC has provided support to self help groups amongst PLHIV/OVC in all target communities. These self help groups, therefore, play a significant role as community based organization representing the HIV/AIDS in the community

•         Strengthening the links between communities, self-help group, home-based care, and Commune Council with public health services in order to support for PLHIV/OVC and community prevention

•         The establishment of 9 Home-based care teams linked to the Operational Districts (OD’s)

•         Through the network of community focal persons, the communities are now able better access better health services from public health facilities, such as Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMCTC), Voluntary and Confidential Counselling and Testing (VCCT), TB and STI

•         Through public education campaigns on HIV/AIDS, STI and TB, via Mass Media, Community Forums, Youth Clubs and CAGs, the target population with the support of CHEC have an increased their awareness and knowledge of issues; and

•         CHEC has greatly assisted community based organizations to access local institutions and services through their knowledge of local networks, this enables communities to mobilise increased resources to support PLHIVs, their families and OVCs.