Home l About Us l  Staff l  Contact l  Open House l  Friends & Fun Photos

Mission:

Korsang was developed in light of the HIV pandemic in Cambodia and the reality of limited services to those at the greatest risk for HIV and other drug related risks.  Korsang is dedicated to delivering quality risk reduction education, case management and health related services to injection drug users, sex workers and incarcerated persons.  Korsang maintains a commitment to treating each participant with the highest level of dignity, compassion and respect.
 

Vision:

Korsang will be on the forefront of introducing cutting edge risk reduction service and philosophy throughout the Kingdom of Cambodia.  Korsang will create innovative peer education programs and comprehensive drug user friendly services.  Korsang will work tirelessly to educate drug users to reduce their risk of contracting blood born virus and other drug related harm through broad programming, advocacy, organizing and policy building.

SNAP SHOT OF KORSANG

Rationale:

The situation of Cambodia is unusual in Southeast Asia in that injecting drug users (IDUs) have so far played very little part in the country’s HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, with worrying signs that drug use (including drug injecting) are increasing in the country, both the Government of Cambodia and international agencies have become concerned that HIV/AIDS risk related to drug use is insufficiently addressed.

Illicit drug use has increased dramatically in the past five years. The injecting drug use level appears to be small but increasing. Amphetamine (yama) appears to be the most widely used illicit drug (with regard to HIV transmission).

There is a growing concern about injecting drug use related to HIV/AIDS because:

• IDU numbers are rising, at least in Phnom Penh and Banteay Meanchey Province;

• Some IDUs are sex workers, males who have sex with males (MSM), or street youth—groups known as highly vulnerable to HIV infection in Cambodia;

• Cambodia is located along drug trafficking routes (and HIV infection among IDUs has been shown to follow such routes in South-East Asia);

• Use of injectable pharmaceutical drugs and vitamins by the general community is high;

• Prevention of HIV/AIDS epidemics among IDUs needs early action; and

• The Cambodian government, NGO, and health care systems are not equipped to deal with HIV/AIDS epidemics among IDUs.

Concern about illicit drug use is increasing in Cambodia because there is a possible link between such illicit drug use (yama, glue) with increased sexual risk/transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and yama use has been found among the above highly vulnerable groups.

Korsang has been servicing drug users, including injection drug users for approximately 18 months in the Phnom Penh area.  Our observations of this vulnerable population include:

• An increase in heroin injecting.

• Yama users switching from smoking yama to smoking heroin and then injecting heroin.

• An increase in injection related infections.

• Re-using of injection equipment up to 5 or more times.

• Sharing used syringes and other injection equipment.

• Zero knowledge of how to clean injection equipment with bleach.

• Zero knowledge of vein care or overdose prevention.

• A lack of HIV transmission education.

• A lack of sterile injection equipment.

• Lack of resources and support for HIV testing.

• Basic lack of over all health care and nutrition.

• Yama use and high-risk sexual behaviour are linked with one and other.

• Over all increase of yama use throughout Cambodia.

• Very high rates of yama use in the sex working community.

Organization:

Korsang is a small grass roots program located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.  It is a fairly new program, beginning in September 2004, which has recently increased its small staff of 5 employees to 22 employees. Korsang staff are trained risk reductionists who are working with the Cambodian population in the prevention of IDU related HIV and other drug related harm.  The main component of the Korsang team is to engage in intensive, risk reduction based IDU and drug user outreach and education through peer related connection.  Korsang opened a drop in center in Tonle Bassac Phnom Penh in December 2004.

The Korsang team has completed an in-depth educational process and is thoroughly in Risk Reduction education and service delivery. Each staff member has been trained extensively in Risk Reduction theory and practice including Risk Reduction history, philosophy, strategy, principles, motivational interviewing, engagement techniques, strength based approach, outreach, ethics, healing through relationship, HIV, basic first aid, viral hepatitis, STD prevention, vein care, overdose, non-traditional referral and case management.  Korsang employees have graduated from a college level case management course offered by two PhD’s from Providence Rhode Island.  Each team member who completed the course received college credit and US standard case management certification.

Korsang is targeting Cambodians who are engaged in injection drug use and yama use who are currently un-served and at serious risk of HIV and other health-related hazards that accompany drug use and high-risk sexual behavior.  Korsang staff visits areas where street based injection drug use is a serious issue and sex worker areas where yama and unprotected sex go hand in hand.

Korsang uses no funding from USAID to engage in needle exchange, purchase syringes or distribute syringes.
All Korsang needle exchange activities are funded by UNAIDS via contract through WHO.

Korsang Anti-Copyright. No rights reserved.
Korsang is not responsible for the content of external Internet Sites.

Current Funding:
UNAIDS contracted through WHO
UNICEF direct funding to Korsang
USAID contracted through KHANA