About Estrela+
Estrela+ is a membership association of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) in Timor-Leste which works to improve the quality of the lives of all PLHIV in Timor-Leste through advocating for the recognition, respect and promotion of the rights of PLHIV at the local, national and international levels.
Estrela+ was established in 2009 by four HIV positive individuals on the basis of the belief that positive people must have a collective voice in addressing vital issues that affect their lives, and that PLHIV themselves must be responsible for decision-making within a PLHIV organisation. The Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS (the GIPA Principle) is at the core of Estrela+' work. Estrela+ is run by HIV positive people for HIV positive people. All members of Estrela+ belong to the PLHIV community and it is governed by a HIV positive Board. Currently, Estrela+ has more than 100 members in its network throughout the country. Estrela+ is a registered NGO with FONGTIL (NGO Forum) and the Ministry of Justice Timor-Leste.
Estrela+ currently has 8 full-time staff in its Dili office and 6 part-time peer support group volunteers who are located in Suai, Maliana and Baucau.
By ensuring that the rights of PLHIV are upheld in Timor Leste, the work of Estrela+ contributes to Timor Leste’ national programme to reduce the risk and impact of HIV/AIDS by ensuring that PLHIV in Timor Leste are equipped with skills and knowledge about HIV and HIV related rights, treatment options and are able to access health care and other support services when required.
Our Vision
To see a community of PLHIV in Timor-Leste living healthy productive lives with respect and dignity, and free from discrimination.
Our Mission
Estrela+ aims to achieve its Vision through providing HIV and AIDS education, capacity building and advocating for the rights of PLHIV in Timor-Leste.
Estrela+ was established in 2009 by four HIV positive individuals on the basis of the belief that positive people must have a collective voice in addressing vital issues that affect their lives, and that PLHIV themselves must be responsible for decision-making within a PLHIV organisation. The Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV and AIDS (the GIPA Principle) is at the core of Estrela+' work. Estrela+ is run by HIV positive people for HIV positive people. All members of Estrela+ belong to the PLHIV community and it is governed by a HIV positive Board. Currently, Estrela+ has more than 100 members in its network throughout the country. Estrela+ is a registered NGO with FONGTIL (NGO Forum) and the Ministry of Justice Timor-Leste.
Estrela+ currently has 8 full-time staff in its Dili office and 6 part-time peer support group volunteers who are located in Suai, Maliana and Baucau.
By ensuring that the rights of PLHIV are upheld in Timor Leste, the work of Estrela+ contributes to Timor Leste’ national programme to reduce the risk and impact of HIV/AIDS by ensuring that PLHIV in Timor Leste are equipped with skills and knowledge about HIV and HIV related rights, treatment options and are able to access health care and other support services when required.
Our Vision
To see a community of PLHIV in Timor-Leste living healthy productive lives with respect and dignity, and free from discrimination.
Our Mission
Estrela+ aims to achieve its Vision through providing HIV and AIDS education, capacity building and advocating for the rights of PLHIV in Timor-Leste.
About HIV and AIDS in Timor-Leste
The first case of HIV in Timor-Leste, a lower-middle income country bordering Indonesia with a population of 1.2 million was reported in 2003 (The World Bank, Data – Timor-Leste 2014). Today Timor-Leste has a low level non-generalized HIV epidemic with an estimated HIV prevalence rate of approximately 0.1845% of adults aged 15-49 as of 2011 (Timor-Leste National HIV and STI Strategy 2011-2016). This transmission rate exceeds that projected by the HIV Epidemiological Model and Impact Study in 2005 (UNGASS Report). According to surveillance data from the Ministry of Health, at the end of September 2016, there were 630 diagnosed cases of HIV in Timor-Leste. Read
Sentinel surveillance from 2010 suggests that the incidence of HIV in Timor-Leste is increasing with heterosexual transmission outside identified most-at-risk-populations being higher than predicted (HIV and AIDS Data Hub for Asia-Pacific 2011 Asia Pacific Country Reviews: Timor Leste at a glance). Limited research and inadequate testing services means that actual infection rates are higher than available epidemiological data suggests.
Heterosexual sex remains the most common mode of HIV transmission in Timor-Leste however transmission between men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug use, mother to child transmission and blood transfusions also occur (Timor-Leste National HIV and STI Strategy 2011-2016).
The findings of the HIV/STI Integrated Biologic & Behavioral Surveillance Survey conducted in 2011 indicated that HIV remains concentrated in the key affected populations including MSM, Female Sex Workers, Clients of Sex Workers and Uniformed Personnel. The most recent available data on prevalence in these key affected populations is from the 2011 IBBS which found that HIV prevalence was 1.5% among female sex workers, 1.3% among men who have sex with men, 0.5% among uniformed personnel with no clients of sex workers testing positive at that time.
