On November 9, 2011 in Kiev the founders of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) and the Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation (EPAAF) presented to journalists their second joint charitable project. Its goal is to help girls and young women who are spend most of their lives on the street and so are highly vulnerable to HIV, to gain access to HIV testing and to receive vital social, medical and legal assistance. The project is implemented by the global health and human rights organization HealthRight International, with the generous financial support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which is supported by the Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation.

Estimates place the number of children and young people living on the streets of Ukraine, mostly within big cities, at anywhere between 20,000-100,000.

The joint project of the Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation called "Children Plus" has been already working in Ukraine for three years. The goal of this five-year project which is implemented by the All Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV is to improve the lives of children born to HIV-positive mothers; integrate them into their social environment, change society's attitude towards these children and help them move from orphanages to foster families, new parents and guardians.

"Children Plus", a five year project, was launched in February 2008. It is implemented in 11 regions of Ukraine. Specialist technical support on disclosing HIV-positive diagnosis between parents and their children is provided by the Romanian Angel Appeal; one of the foremost agencies in Europe in this area. The financial input of the Elena Pinchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation is 2,5 mln USD. The Elton John AIDS Foundation provides financial and management oversight and resources and secured an additional 500,000 from the UK's Big Lottery Fund.

On September 12, 2009 in a specialized orphanage for HIV-positive children the first results of the "Children plus" project were presented. The overall goal of the project is to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on children infected with or severely affected by HIV/AIDS in Ukraine, from early childhood through to teenage years. This includes ensuring such children are not ostracised or discriminated against in society; changing public attitudes towards them, particularly in schools, and helping them to move from orphanages to adoptive, fostering and guardianship families.

A press conference was held with the participation of world rock star Elton John, the founder of the ANTIAIDS Foundation Elena Franchuk and head of the coordinating council of All-Ukrainian Network people living with HIV, Vladimir Zhovtyak. The project implementers described how the lives of hundreds of HIV-positive children have changed over the past eighteen months.

Photo report from the event is here.

"Children plus" film is here.

To support 1 500 children from problematic and disadvantaged families. To find families for the 96 orphans. To work with 3 000 teachers and preschool institutions’ nurses in order to reduce stigma. To help families where 1 000 HIV-positive children live to prepare children for status’ disclosure. Above mentioned are expected outcomes of 5 year project of Elton John AIDS Foundation and Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation – “Improving quality of life of HIV-positive children and their families”.

This project was represented to main stakeholders and media in Kiev on February, 20, 2008. In the coming five years project will cover 11 regions of Ukraine. It will be coordinated by All-Ukrainian Network of people living with HIV in a partnership with Romanian Angel Appeal. Donors of this project are Elena Franchuk ANTIAIDS Foundation, Elton John AIDS Foundation and British charitable foundation The Big Lottery Fund.

World-famous composer and singer Sir Elton John gave the free charitable concert on June, 16 in Kiev. The concert took place on Maidan Nezalejnosty and broadcasted live on the “New Channel”.

The concert is appealed to the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ukraine.

Before and during the concert 220 volunteers, mainly students, disseminated 60 thousands flayers about HIV/AIDS, 150 thousands flayers with the information about testing and counseling centers, provided by Kiev AIDS Center, and 49 thousands condoms, provided by TM DUREX.

David Furnish, the Head of Elton John AIDS Foundation, and Elena Franchuk, ANTIAIDS founder, dedicated Saturday morning June, 16 to learning about HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ukraine. They were accompanied with both foundations’ specialists.

On Saturday morning delegations visited Kiev Infectious Hospital, located on Kiev Pechersk Lavra territory, where they met patients living with HIV/AIDS and doctors. Foundations’ leaders were interested in detailed information about medical service, pharmacy aspects of treatment, real life stories and patients’ opinion about medical service and community’ attitude towards HIV-positive people.

Later foundations' leaders visited "Berizka" orphanage - the only home for HIV-positive orphans. Elena Franchuk and David Furnish, and specialists of British and Ukrainian foundations spent time with children and pedagogic staff. They also visited one of HIV-positive families in Kiev.

Established by Sir Elton John in 1992, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations supporting innovative HIV/AIDS prevention education programs and direct care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS. Since its founding, EJAF has raised over $125 million to support worthy programs in 55 countries around the globe. EJAF supports its work through proceeds from special events, cause-related marketing projects, and voluntary contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

EJAF reviews and awards grants to worthy projects worldwide and also participates in a partnership with the National AIDS Fund (NAF) to provide challenge grants to NAF member community organizations domestically that must be matched two to one as an incentive to leverage additional local support for their work from other sources.

EJAF focuses on supporting community-based prevention education programs, harm reduction programs, and direct services to persons living with HIV/AIDS, especially populations with special needs. These efforts include HIV/AIDS-related physical and mental health services, HIV testing and counseling, street outreach and education, food distribution, assisted living services, social service coordination, and community volunteer recruitment and support.