MAPS
After three months in Beirut, I started to work in Maps which is located in Faro, a city that belongs to the well-known region of the south of Portugal named Algarve.
MAPS – Movimento de Apoio à Problemática da Sida is a private organization, non-profit, with registration on May 13th, 1992.
The mission of MAPS is to develop, promote and ensure services to the community responding to social problems, such as, HIV / AIDS, drugs addiction, sexuality, homeless, immigrants, ethnic minorities and discriminated groups. It aims to contribute to treatment, social development, integration, social inclusion, prevention and awareness of policy issues. Finally, MAPS wish to pass their values of social responsibility, solidarity, ethics, dedication, social justice, commitment, professionalism, integrity, ambition, transparency, efficiency, collaboration, participation and unity, to those who get involved with it. The next picture is good to present the beautiful team that I work with (I am behind an orange paper on the upper left!).
Maps has several projects underway and I participate in some such as:
CENTRO DE ALOJAMENTO TEMPORÁRIO (CAT)
It hosts individuals who are in a social rupture situation (homeless), without physical or psychiatric problems requiring special medical attention. This project aims the social inclusion of people affected by the phenomena of social exclusion. The intervention is based on the care and monitoring of the clients, looking for enhancing the skills and daily habits (hygiene, personal care, daily routines). This project includes nine clients.
CENTRO DE ATENDIMENTO E ACOMPANHAMENTO PSICOSSOCIAL (CAAPS)
It promotes psychosocial care services, monitoring at the individual and family level, with the objective of social integration, through training. At the same time, carries out psychosocial activities for the target group. This project supports, monthly, between thirty five and sixty clients.
SERVIÇO DE APOIO DOMICILIÁRIO (SAD)
It provides home cares to people who are infected and affected by HIV / AIDS, providing psychosocial support, personal and domestic hygiene, food, laundry, transportation and monitoring to medical cares, preparation and administration of medical treatments. This project integrates fifteen clients.
RESIDÊNCIA COLMEIA
It supports, temporarily, homeless with HIV / AIDS. This project hosts clients, promoting their empowerment and social inclusion. It integrates five clients.
EQUIPAS DE APOIO SOCIAL DIRECTO (EASD)
This multidisciplinary team provides individualized support for people with specific problems, promoting the reduce of risk behaviors. The intervention is performed daily by field visits, providing: aseptic material, distribution of preventive material, social and psychological support and information / education related with health. This project conducts awareness campaigns in schools and for the community. It supports, monthly, an average of two hundred clients
AS MADALENAS II
It is directed to sexual workers and clients of commercial sex, where they can benefit from family planning medical support, detecting sexual diseases, free vaccination (hepatitis B, tetanus and diphtheria), psychosocial support, counseling, laundry and showers, clothes bank, linguistic mediation, transportation and advisement about law issues. This project supports, monthly, an average of one hundred and fifty clients.
CUIDA-TE!
This project aims to contribute to the reduction of the use of drugs, to promote the reduction of infections transmitted through sexual and blood, to provide the HIV analysis and to approach the target group to health and social services.
OTHER PROGRAMS AND CAMPAIGNS PROMOTED
The Preservativa-te Campaign aims to contribute for the reduction of the prevalence of HIV / AIDS and other sexual diseases in the community. In the next picture you can see me in action!
Thank you for this wonderful experience!
Ana Barreto