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Ines Lopes, Estrela+'s Executive Director, at Rede Feto's Annual Members' Assembly. Photo credit: Rede Feto.

Estrela+ is one of Rede Feto's newest members!

Estrela+ became a proud member of Rede Feto, a network of womens’s organisations in Timor-Leste, on Tuesday.

Estrela+ and Rede Feto advocate for women’s rights and gender issues in Timor-Leste. As a member of Rede Feto, Estrela+ will participate in capacity building and empowerment initiatives, as well as advocating for the rights of women living with HIV at a national level, such as the CEDAW working group 2015.

Ines Lopes, Estrela+ Executive Director, says becoming a member is a great opportunity for Estrela+ and its members.

“We are really excited that Rede Feto will be able to help Estrela+ in the area of advocacy to be able to see, and better help our fellow women and children that are living with HIV in Timor-Leste,” says Ines Lopes.

Rede Feto Timor Leste is the key leader in advocacy in women’s rights and gender issues in Timor-Leste. Its member organisation’s include the important players in the field of development of advocacy and services for women, particularly rural women.

Want to know more about Rede Feto’s work in Timor-Leste? Check out their new website: http://redefeto.tl

Estrela+ maka Rede Feto nian membru foun

Rede Feto simu Estrela+ hanesan membru foun iha Asembleia Memberu Anual iha tersa-Feira 9 de Maio 2017.

Rede Feto mak rede hosi organisasaun feto sira-nian. Estrela+ no Rede Feto rua-ruak halao advokasia ba feto sira-nia direitu no asuntu jéneru.

Hanesan membru ba Rede Feto, Estrela+ sei partisipa iha initiativo sira hanesan hasae kapasidade no haforsa liu tan Feto sira, mos bele halao advokasia ba direitu ba feto ne’ebe afeitadu ho HIV iha nivel nasional, hanesan Grupo trabalhador ba CEDAW iha tinan 2015.

Ines Lopes, Estrela+ Direitora Executiva, dehan oportunidade ida nee maka furak liu ba Estrela+ no Estrela+ nian membru sira.

“Ita kontenti tebes katak Rede Feto sei bele ajuda Estrela+ iha area advokasia hodi bele hare no ajuda liu tan maluk feto no labarik sira nebe maka afeitadu HIV iha Timor-Leste,” dehan Ines Lopes.

Rede Feto Timor-Leste nu’udar lidér xave iha advokasia ba feto sira-nia direitu no asuntu jéneru iha Timor-Leste. Nia membru organizasaun sira inklui atór importante iha área dezenvolvimentu ba advokasia no servisu ba feto sira, liuliu ba feto rurál.

Hakarak hatene tan kona ba Rede Feto? Haree took iha sira-nia website foun: http://redefeto.tl

Know your rights!

Last year, at the International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, ICW released a poster and course about the rights of pregnant woman and mothers living with HIV, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and how to keep both mother and baby healthy.

With the help of WHO, we have translated ICW’s literacy material into Tetum. The poster is useful for service providers for people living with HIV who may be considering having a child. It is a concise guide to their rights as woman living with HIV and how to keep both themselves and the baby healthy.

The flipchart is a more detailed guide for pregnant women living with HIV and mothers. It contains advice about:

Human rights in health care settings
Staying engaged in healthcare during pregnancy and after delivery
Talking about HIV
Understanding HIV
Importance of sexual and reproductive health rights
HIV transmission during and after pregnancy
HIV treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers
Antenatal and postnatal care
Recognising, understanding and reporting side effects
Health and nutrition
Labour and delivery, and
Nutrition for the baby

If you are interested in using this material please contact us at [email protected].

Hatene ita nia direitu!

Tinan kotuk, International AIDS Conference iha Durban, South Africa, ICW halo presentasaun kona ba poster no treinamentu kona-ba saude positivu, dignidade no prevensaun ba feto isin-rua no inan sira ne’ebé afeitadu ho kondisaun HIV.

Ami hakarak fό obrigada wain ba WHO ba halo tradus ba material nee ba Tetum. Poster nee, utíl ba facilidade saude ba ema ne’ebe moris ho HIV katak hanoin kona-ba isin-rua. Ida nee matadalan simples kona-ba direitu ba feto ne’ebe moris ho HIV i oinsa mak promove saude ba nia rasik no kosok-oan.

Flipchart mak matadalan detalludu más ba feto isin-rua ne’be afeitadu ho kondisaun HIV. Ida nee inklui konsellu kona-ba:

Direitu umanu iha kontestu asistencia saúde
Involve nafatin kuidadu saúde durante isin rua no hafoin partu
Koalia kona ba HIV
Kompriende kona-ba HIV
Importansia saúde no direitu seksual no reprodutiva
Transmisaun HIV durante no hafoin isin-rua
Tratamentu HIV ba feto ne’ebe isin-rua fo susu bebe
Kuidadu ante-natal no pós-natal
Rekuñese, kumpriende no relata efeitu sékundáriu
Ita boot nia saude no nutrisaun
Kanotak moras no partu, no
Nutrisaun ba ita-boot nia kosok-oan

Se ita hakarak usa material nee, kontaktu ami iha [email protected]

Sharing Personal Stories on World Stage

Mana Ines’ presented her first-ever international plenary speech at the Australasian HIV Conference in November.

Ines talked about the stigma and discrimination that people living with HIV face in Timor-Leste. Stigma and discrimination can come from not only the community but healthcare professionals as well.

Estrela+ and its partners work to increase public understanding of HIV/AIDS to decrease stigma and discrimination through workshops and educational material.

The talk was also an opportunity for Mana Ines to put the skills learnt at the Positive Speakers workshop into action. Parabens Mana Ines, ami orgulhu ba ita! (We are proud of you!)

Fun And Games: World AIDS Day 2016

We celebrated World AIDS Day 2016 with two of our partners, Esperanca and SSpS.

The day started off with a quiz about HIV/AIDS and stigma and discrimination. Estrela+’s team got the most points to win the quiz. Parabens!

Next up was a cooking competition between the three organizations. Each team was made up of three members and cooked Timorese dishes. Thanks to all who participated, the food was delicious! After some rigorous taste testing, Esperanca won the top chef title. Obrigadu ba haan gostu Esperanca!

The day finished up with a memorial service and shared meal. It was an especially moving memorial this year as we remembered people with HIV/AIDS who have passed away this year.

Positive Speakers Workshop

In June, Estrela+ warmly welcomed Susan and Frika to Timor-Leste to present a Postive Speakers workshop.

The Positive Speakers workshop taught participants how to construct a good speech, how to captivate your audience and how to project your voice.

The workshop also allowed people to talk in a safe space about their HIV status and share their story.
In Susan’s experience many positive speakers find that sharing their story is an extremely rewarding experience and can contribute to better public health messages and outcomes.

The purpose of the workshop was to establish a group of people in Timor-Leste who can talk about issues relating to HIV based on personal experience. Approximately 30 Estrela+ members came to the workshop.

International AIDS Conference 2016

Ines, Franki and Cris went to Durban in July 2016 for the International AIDS Conference. Two others from Timor-Leste joined them – Orlanda, from Esperanca and Janu from Codiva.

More than 18,000 global leaders, scientists, advocates, and frontline health workers attended AIDS2016, the world’s largest forum devoted to any single health or development issue.

Highlights of the conference for us included the International Committee for Women Living with HIV guide to positive living for mothers and their babies.

We are currently working with WHO to translate these simple guides into Tetun. If you are interested in these resources please contact us at [email protected].

Listen to Tetun podcast all about HIV!

Last year, Mana Ines and Moun Inacio both talked to Radio Komunidade Lorico Lian about HIV in Timor-Leste and their experience of living with HIV in Timor-Leste.

You can listen to the podcast of their interview here:

Oinsa ita moris ho HIV iha Timor (Parte 1)
Oinsa ita moris ho HIV iha Timor (Parte 2)

Estrela Plus attend APN Plus AGM in Thailand

Last month, Policy, Training, Monitoring, Evaluation and Communication Official Franki Baba represented Estrela Plus at APN Plus’ Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Bangkok, Thailand.

Representatives from 14 nations attended the AGM: India, Pakistan, Viet Nam, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Myanmar.

The AGM was an opportunity to discuss what had been achieved by APN Plus and its member countries in 2015 and APN Plus’ action plan for 2016.

In addition to this, access to viral load testing was discussed; the World Health Organisation recommends viral load testing as the standard to monitor patients that are taking anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

The test itself measures the amount of HIV in the patient’s blood. A small amount of virus means better health outcomes for the patient and a decreased likelihood that that the patient will pass on HIV to other people. When ART is conducted with a good viral load count (the lower the better), there is a clearer picture on whether the patient is responding well to the treatment.

The UNAIDS 90:90:90 target was also discussed. The target aims to: ensure 90 percent of HIV-infected patients know their HIV status; 90 percent of positively diagnosed patients are on life-saving ART treatment; and 90 percent of patients on treatment are responding successfully to their drug by 2020.

This is the second time that Franki has attended the meeting as the representative from Timor-Leste. The AGM provides new information about viral load testing for beneficiaries of Estrela Plus, people who live with HIV/AIDS in Timor-Leste.

A photo is attached of one of the banners which have been created by the National AIDS Commission.

We were very disappointed to see the new standing banners which have appeared recently in Dili supermarkets. A photo is attached of one of the banners which have been created by the National AIDS Commission.

The HIV prevention messages that are widely used in Timor-Leste, in accordance with the Timor-Leste's National HIV and STI Strategy 2011-2016 are: A for abstinence, B for be faithful and C for consistent condom use. As you can see in the photo, in its new banner, the National AIDS Commission has changed the C for condoms to C for "Control yourself".

This is problematic because:

1. It implies that people living with HIV are infected because they are unable to be faithful or control themselves from having 'arbitary' sexual relations. This is false and promotes stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV. More stigma around HIV means fewer people get tested for and fewer people access treatment which ultimately undermines the country's HIV response.

2. By failing to provide information about using condoms, these banners mean that people in the community miss out on an opportunity to receive accurate information about one of the most effective ways for them to protect themselves from HIV. The community has a right to accurate information which helps them make informed decisions about their health.

3. HIV is a public health issue and should not be confused with moral judgments about people's behaviour. For this reason, messaging around HIV prevention should not be focused on controlling people's sexual freedom but on encouraging people to have safe sex.

4. Communication materials like these banners should be developed by professionals consistent with international best practice. Developing behaviour change materials about HIV is a technical skill that involves extensive research, planning, design and testing before they can be printed and distributed in the community. The need for BCC materials about HIV to be evidence-based and high quality is mentioned in several of Timor-Leste's own national policies, including the National Reproductive Health Strategy 2004-2015 and the National HIV and STI Strategy 2011-2016.

We would like to see the immediate removal of these banners from all public spaces in Timor-Leste and urge the NAC to work with Estrela+, other civil society organisations and the Ministry of Health to fulfil its role as a coordinating body.

Stigma and discrimination training for health providers at Oe-cusse district -- 19 June 2015

On 19 June 2015, Estrela + held training sessions about HIV and AIDS and stigma and discrimination for doctors and midwives in Oecusse district. The event was attended by about 28 health providers who responded enthusiastically to the training which was opened by the administrator of the hospital, who welcomed Estrela+ and acknowledged the importance of addressing stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV. Estrela+ staff member Mr Franki Baba also addressed the training and called on health providers to work together with Estrela+ to support people living with HIV in Timor-Leste.

Advocacy Training -- 24-26 April 2015

On 24-26 April 2015, with support from Asia Pacific Network of People living with HIV (APN+), Estrela+ delivered advocacy training to about 15 people including board members, staff and as well as some peer support volunteers from Bobonaro and Dili districts. This was one of Estrela+ routine advocacy trainings which aims to deepen the knowledge of individual people living with HIV and support them to advocate on behalf of themselves and other members of the community.

International Women's Day event -- 23 April 2015

To celebrate international women's day which is held on 8 March every year, Estrela+ hosted an event on 23 April to recognize the achievements of women living with HIV in Timor-Leste and the challenges they continue to face. During the event the Director of Estrela+, Ms Ines Lopes discussed how women living with HIV should not be excluded from participating in society and identified the challenges that women living with HIV face in accessing education and health services for themselves and their children.

Representatives from the Timor-Leste women's network, Rede Feto also attended the event and spoke about the importance of integrating the gender perspective into the HIV response by ensuring that women are empowered with information about their rights and their health.

Sra . Marta Abenia Dos Santos, the manager of the HIV Programme at the Ministry of Health also attended the event and spoke about the importance of ensuring that the rights of women living with HIV are upheld and pointed to the need for a strong policy response to reduce stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV in Timor-Leste.

Series of partner meetings to discuss challenges faced by women living with HIV -- 15 March

On 13-15 March 2015, Estrela + held a brief meeting together with HIV-AIDS coordinator Hospital Referral in Baucau district Mr. Marcelino to discuss the data and problems relating to women living with HIV and the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT).
Estrela+ followed this up with a meeting with the FTH coordinator in Baucau. FTH is a partner organisation which focuses on prevention of HIV amongst high risk groups. Together, Estrela+ and FTH will work together to investigate and respond to violations of women's rights in Baucau.

Following these meetings, Estrela+ staff travelled to Bobonaro and Oecusse to continue discussions there with partner organisations including FTH, SSPS Maliana and the voluntary confidential counselling and testing staff at Maliana referral hospital and women's rights and strategies to reduce stigma and discrimination towards women and children in Timor-Leste.

Journalists attend training about reporting responsibly on HIV-- 13 March
On 13 March 2015, Estrela+ delivered a training at Yaysaun HAK to journalists from national outlets, as well as from relevant government institutions and non-governmental organizations engaged in HIV, including the National AIDS Commission, FCE-TL / Umbrella and Esperanca. The purpose of the training was to build the capacity of journalists to report responsibly on HIV. This is particularly timely given the recent articles which have appeared in local newspapers using language that does not respect the rights of people living with HIV. During the training, Executive Director of Estrela+, Ines Lopes, was interviewed by several journalists and emphasized the importance of working with the media to reduce stigma and discrimination.

Ms Ines Lopes attends DFAT's Leadership Development Program, Dili - 7 & 8 October

Ms Lopes, Estrela+'s Executive Director, was one of 25 Timorese leaders selected from more than 100 applicants to attend the Leadership Development Program funded by the Australian Government. The course which was designed to build leadership skills for Timor-Leste managers and leavers and was delivered by the Centre for Public Management. During the course participants explored leadership styles, leading people and teams and networking. The Leadership Development Program was a wonderful opportunity for Ms Lopes to learn from and alongside experienced and inspiring leaders and she is already bringing her new knowledge and skills to Estrela+ and the PLHIV Community.

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Training, Dili - 29 September 2014

Delivered by Estela+'s Executive Director Ms Ines Lopes, this training was attended by fifteen women living with HIV from Dili and the districts and aimed to equip them with knowledge and understanding of their sexual and reproductive health rights, with a particular focus on the prevention of parent to child transmission of HIV. By building awareness of sexual and reproductive health and rights amongst women living with HIV, Estrela+ hopes to empower them to ensure that their own sexual and reproductive health rights are upheld.

Film Dialog in Suai, Covalima District - 19 September

On 19 September, two Estrela+ staff travelled to Suai to conduct a film dialogue for members of the PLHIV community. Following an initial training session about HIV, participants watched the film “The Story of Bobo” http://www.webfoundation.nl/english/animaties.html which which tells the story of how the HIV virus operates inside the body in a simple and colourful way.

Participants then engaged in an active discussion of the themes raised by the film. The event was attended by fifteen members of Suai’s PLHIV community and supported by the Global Fund to end AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

PLHIV Communty Training on Case Management, Public Speaking and Human Rights - Dili, 11-12 September

Estrela+ conducted a workshop for members of the PLHIV community on case management, public speaking and human rights. The workshop was a huge success with over 40 community members coming from both the districts and Dili to work on developing their skills and knowledge in these areas of key importance to PLHIV. We hope that this training will assist individuals to become advocates for themselves and their community. The public speaking practice was a highlight with individuals enjoying the chance to apply what they had learned in front of an audience!

Estrela+ staff and volunteers receive M&E Training, Dili, 9-10 September

On 9 and 10 September, Estrela+ delivered monitoring and evaluation training to sixteen of its staff and peer support group volunteers from the districts. This was an important training, especially for district-based volunteers who are responsible for ensuring that client data collected at a local level is accurate and regularly reported to Estrela+’s central office in Dili.
This training was supported by the Global Fund to end AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

A Champion of People of Living with HIV in Timor-Leste - Ms Ines Lopes

Earlier this year, Estrela+ Executive Director Ms Ines Lopes was featured in a photo essay “Champions of People Living with HIV in Timor-Leste”. Marie Stopes International Timor-Leste developed the stunning 12-page publication that follows Ines’ own story of living with HIV in Timor-Leste and is a valuable resource for Estrela+ to use.

Franki Baba from Estrela+ attends AIDS2014 Conference in Melbourne, Australia 20-25 July 2014

Estrela+’ Communications and Training Officer, Franki Baba was successful in receiving a scholarship to attend the AIDS2014 International Conference held in Melbourne in July 2014. The International AIDS Conference is held every two years and this year, 14,000 delegates from over 200 countries attended the conference in Melbourne. Franki was the only representative at the conference from the PLHIV community in Timor-Leste.

Over the course of the conference, Franki attended a range of activities focusing on the experiences of people living with HIV including care and treatment literacy and adherence, the law and HIV, self-stigma and research into stigma-reduction. While in Melbourne, Franki also participated in the Conference Mobilisation March through Melbourne’s CBD followed by the Candlelight Vigil at Federation Square to remember the 35 million people who have died from HIV and AIDS. Other highlights of the conference included listening to Bill Clinton address the conference delegates about the future of treatment and prevention.
During the conference Franki learnt about how other countries combat stigma and discrimination and promote over traditional medicine and this knowledge will be shared with his colleagues upon return to Dili and will help inform Estrela+’ advocacy activities.

Estrela+ develops new client database - June 2014

With support from the Global Fund, Estrela+ recently developed a database to collect and organise information related to people living with HIV across Timor-Leste. The database allows Estrela+ to easily and quickly access information about people living with HIV at an individual and district level such as contact details and relevant information such as any issues they may be having with treatment adherence or discrimination.

The database is password protected and all personal information is kept secure. Data is collected by Estrela+ peer support group volunteers and staff at the Estrela+ office in Dili and is entered every month to ensure that the database is up to date. Estrela+ case management staff have received training in how to use the database and staff are already finding it a useful tool in providing support to the PLHIV community.

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Training for Positive Women
Suai, Covalima District 9 July 2014

With support from WAPN+ (Women of APN+), Estrela+ staff travelled to Suai to conduct sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) training for HIV positive women, stopping on the way to meet with VCCT staff in Aileu, Maubisse and Ainaro.

The SRHR training took place on Wednesday 9 July in Suai and was attended by 15 participants from throughout Timor-Leste including Dili, Suai, Maliana and Oecussi. The training covered many issues related to women’s sexual and reproductive health including basic information about HIV, the prevention of parent to child transmission of HIV, family planning and a very informative session on the rights of women under the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, ratified by Timor-Leste in 2003) delivered by Mr Helvon A Bento from Rede Feto.

ART and Adherence Training for PLHIV Commity
Maliana, Bobonaro District 17-18 June 2014

From 17-18 June 2014, Estrela+ staff Franki and Cris, together with staff from partner organisations, travelled to Maliana in Bobonaro district to deliver ART and adherence training to members of the PLHIV community in Maliana. The training was part of Estrela+ program to build the capacity of the PLHIV community through increasing their understand of ART and improving treatment adherence.

The first day of training explored the topic of ART and the related issues of viral load and CD4 testing and when people should start ART and what they need to know before that happens. This was followed by basic information about ARV’s and how they work. The second day continued with information about HAART and factors that increase or decrease its effectiveness.

Estrela+ Communications and Training Officer attended APN+ Annual General Meeting Bangkok, Thailand 25 - 27 June 2014
As a member of APN+, Estrela+ was invited to participate in APN+ Annual General Meeting in Bangkok from 25 to 27 June 2014. Estrela+ was represented at the AGM by Franki Baba, Estrela+’ Communications and Training Officer. In addition to the business of the AGM, the meeting provided an excellent opportunity for country representatives from 28 countries to meet to share their experiences and discuss priority issues such as pharmaceuticals and intellectual property, sexual and reproductive health and rights and treatment developments.

Estrela+ Executive Director attends Global Fund South and East Asia Regional Workshop
Phnom Penh, Cambodia 16-18 June 2014

From 16 to 18 June, the Executive Director of Estrela+, Ms Ines Lopes, representing Timor-Leste civil society attended the South East Asia Regional Workshop for the Global Fund to AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Phnom Penh, Cambodia along with nine other representatives from the Ministry of Health and civil society. The meeting was organized by The Global Fund, WHO and UNAIDS with the objective to increase countries’ understanding of the need to achieve impact under the Global Fund’s new funding model through targeted strategic interventions, with a particular focus on key affected populations.

Executive Director of Estrela+ attends WAPN+ Strategic Planning Meeting
Bangkok, Thailand 9-11 June 2014

Ines Lopes, the Executive Director of Estrela+ and Regional Representative for the Women of APN+ (WAPN+), travelled to Bangkok, Thailand from 9-11 June 2014 to participate in the WAPN+ Strategic Planning Meeting. The meeting was attended by representatives of HIV positive women from throughout the Asia Pacific region and over the two days delegates gave presentations about the experiences of HIV positive women in their own countries and participated in discussions about regional priorities for WAPN+ including sexual and reproductive health and rights, violence against women, barriers to accessing safe and equitable treatment care and support and resource mobilisation. The outcome of the meeting will be a new strategic plan for WAPN+ for 2014-2016.

Nutrition and Family Planning Workshop with Marie Stopes International Timor-Leste
Dili, 29-30 May 2014

With support from Marie Stopes International Timor-Leste (MSI-TL), Estrela+ provided a two-day training to members of the PLHIV community about family planning, reproductive health and nutrition. Highlights from first day the training included a session on family planning from Senyora Fernanda from MSI-TL and then on the second day Ines Lopes, the Executive Director of Estrela+, provided an information session on good nutrition and how this can be used to manage symptoms the symptoms of HIV. This was followed by a cook-off between which participants who, equipped with fresh ingredients, healthy recipes and a gas stove, competed to produce the most delicious nutritional dish.

AIDS Candle Light Memorial
Dili, 16 May 2014

Every year, in solidarity with the International AIDS community, Estrela+ holds a Candlelight Memorial to remember those who have died from AIDS in Timor-Leste. This year’s memorial was held on 16 May at the SSPS Resthome in Beccora. More than 20 members of the PLHIV community attended, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Heath, the National AIDS Commission (NAC), FTH, CTVL and Isean Hivos and GayMor.

The first speaker was Senyora Antoineta from NAC who discussed NAC’s role in supporting PLHIV community, followed by Senyora Saturina from the Ministry of Health who discussed ARV adherence and care and support for PLHIV. Father Adriano from Caritas Dili then spoke, followed by Ines Lopes, the Executive Director of Estrela who talked about the situation facing people living with HIV in Timor. All of the participants then lit a ceremonial candle and placed them together, forming the distinctive red AIDS ribbon, ablaze with light.

Estrela+ was grateful to receive support from the Global Fund to End AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Marie Stopes International Timor-Leste for funding this event.

May 2014, Estrela+ finalises registration with the Ministry of Justice Timor-Leste

Finally, after five years and much paperwork, Estrela+ was delighted to receive its Certificate of Registration from the Ministry of Justice.

This certificate means that Estrela+ is now officially recognised as a PLHIV membership association by the Timor-Leste government, an important administrative step in Estrela+’ development.