Association"Imdad-SOS"-support for people with HIV/AIDS-the only nongovernmental organization in Azerbaijan having social base - more than 200 HIV/AIDS patients, their close relatives as well as lawyers, psychologists, sociologist, teachers and physicians.

The name of organization "Imdad" translated as call for help, i.e. SOS.

The Association was officially registered by the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan Republic on August 19, 1998.

The association is created for providing moral, material, social, psychological, and legal help to the people living with HIV/AIDS.

Activities in the Association based on participation of HIV-infected people in preventing spread of AIDS which is very essential for both them and community.

The Association "Imdad-SOS" held a charitable concert "Azerbaijan against AIDS" in April 1999, where more than two thousand youth participated. Acquired funds were given to HIV-infected people and to their relatives to meet their needs.

Due to intervention of the Association, the charge in intention infection was taken off from HIV-infected person.

The three condemned HIV-carriers were preschedully released from places of deprivation of freedom with the help of association "Imdad-SOS" .

Under the initiative of the Association " Imdad-SOS"- help for people with HIV/AIDS the issue on social rehabilitation of HIV-infected and AIDS-patients was submitted to government's consideration and was solved , as each HIV carriers have already perplexed in their life. If there is necessity and the consent of the HIV carrier , the group of physical inability is establishing for him.

Besides the Association "Imdad-SOS" carries out some projects to increase HIV/AIDS awareness among schoolchildren and students in various places of Azerbaijan. HIV-infected people and their relatives are involved to take part in these activities.

For the first time in the Republic the "World memory day of people died of AIDS" was marked with involvement of mass media and of clergy in the beginning of May, 2000. The members of the Association prepared-"Quilt", as symbol of memory of people died of AIDS where the names of people died of AIDS in the Republic were written.

The number of people with HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan increasing each day. All these people are in hard position. It is difficult for them to keep themselves and their families, let alone combination of therapy. They don't afford such treatment due to the expensive antiviral drugs.

But despite of it, these people are ready to help other people and are glad to participate in all activities, which will be carried out by the Association in order to prevent spread of HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan. The association plans implementation of many projects on prevention of HIV/AIDS in Azerbaijan, implementation of which needs much finances, office equipments, of which the Association has not at its disposal. But HIV/AIDS patients do not loose their hopes and address to all AIDS organizations with the purpose of granting any help for implementation of their projects.

We would be grateful for rendering of the material and moral assistance to members of the Association "Imdad-SOS" in creation of club for HIV-infected people.