About us
What is the AT4SH Project?
The All Together For Sexual Health (AT4SH) Project implements sexual health promotion and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) including HIV with Sub-Saharan African communities in Flanders and Brussels. Together with the communities and in collaboration with professional intermediaries we develop, implement and evaluate targeted prevention campaigns. We also support people living with HIV.
As in most western European countries, people of Sub-Saharan African decent are dis-proportionally affected by HIV. In 2021, 373 new HIV diagnoses were diagnosed were heterosexual persons. Persons with Sub-Saharan African origin represented 45% of the number of HIV infections diagnosed through heterosexual transmission (2021) which makes them the second largest group affected by HIV after men having sex with men.
The Flemish Ministry of Welfare, Public Health and Family has reacted to the HIV crisis in this population and commissioned targeted HIV prevention. The AT4SH Project was started in 1996 as the HIV-SAM project. Currently, we work on the basis of a three year management agreement (2023-2026) which responded to an open call for field organizations. Our current work is guided by the priorities stipulated in the three-year policy plan. Each year our work is fine-tuned through a detailed annual plan approved by the Ministry . Since the beginning of our work, we have aimed at promoting sexual health and preventing HIV in the communities of Sub-Saharan African migrants living in Flanders. Our work also contributes to the implementation of the 2020-2026 National HIV-Plan.
Our mission statement
The AT4SH Project is dedicated to promoting sexual health and well-being among Sub-Saharan African communities in Flanders and to reducing HIV infections in this group. Adopting a comprehensive, participatory and evidence-based approach, we aim to contribute to effective “combination prevention”. This includes
- Raising awareness on general sexual health and STI/HIV prevention,
- Delivering culturally tailored and context specific information and education,
- Developing and testing interventions including the promotion of HIV testing and linking people to care
- Promoting the well-being of people living with HIV.
We also aim at strengthening capacity for HIV prevention in community organizations and community intermediaries. Through our networks of community organizations and professional intermediaries, we aim at mobilizing an effective community response to HIV in an environment free of HIV-related stigma and discrimination.