HIV/AIDS is rapidly becoming a major public health problem in the Russian Federation. From 1071 confirmed cases in 1995, the number had increased to 144,233 by September 2001 – the majority among injecting drug users (IDUs). The Russian response to AIDS has started to take off only recently. As a result of cooperation among international and Russian NGOs and the Russian government, HIV prevention programmes were started in more than 50 regions. These include outreach and peer education activities, drop-in centres, needle exchange programmes and prison projects. With help from Kolodets, a local NGO, Russian IDU self-help groups are taking the lead in responding to AIDS.
In 2000, a group of former staff of Russia's first HIV/AIDS outreach programme set up by Doctors without Borders (MSF), identified a specific need for self-help groups among injecting drug users (IDUs). IDUs organising themselves was seen as an important step in a country with very repressive drug policies. The first groups were set up with assistance from LSD – the Dutch National Interest Group of Drug Users. In September 2001, the Charity Foundation Kolodets was officially registered. It aims to improve IDUs' quality of life by supporting the development of self-help groups in Russia. Kolodets provides facilities to IDUs to meet and discuss their problems.

A survey in autumn 2000 had already identified the key problems IDUs are facing, as well as some of the solutions they themselves suggested: these were inter-linked with issues related to law, society and public opinion, health and economy. An important outcome was that in a repressive environment with widespread fear among IDUs, they still believe that changes should come from themselves.
Kolodets started to work on these problems and solutions. Although it still lacks a stable source of funding, it has already initiated many activities, such as regular meetings; publication of a newsletter and communication through radio, TV and newspapers; research; training activities; needle exchange and collection of dirty syringes in the streets of Moscow. Unfortunately, the Kolodets website is still banned by the authorities. Actions such as the "First Red Lighthouse" described below are a sign of IDUs taking up responsibility for themselves and their environment.

The "First Red Lighthouse": IDUs taking up leadership

On the occasion of World AIDS Day 2000, some active Kolodets members decided to clean up Perlovka, a Moscow district with a lot of injecting drug use, where streets are littered with used syringes. We called it "The First Red Lighthouse". Why First? It was the first such activity. Why Red? Because the syringe caps and ribbons we were wearing were red and because in Russia red is historically seen as beautiful and revolutionary. Why Lighthouse? Because it was like a beacon for people lost in a sea of problems.

Apart from cleaning the streets, the action was also meant as a protest against state policies and public opinion, which are generally very repressive toward IDUs: we wanted to get together to show the world drug users can take positive action too. Representatives of several IDU service organisations and HIV-positive people were present.

Before the activity, we bought red ribbons and informed the local media. We started at 2 pm: Perlovka station was crowded with people wearing red ribbons. The local media were interviewing several participants about injecting drug use and about AIDS. After some brief practical safety instructions, we started making our way to the heart of Perlovka in small teams of 5-6 people, with local IDUs as guides. Armed with disposable gloves and containers we cleaned buildings, children playgrounds, porches and streets from the many used syringes and condoms. Local residents watched us with interest and seemed to approve. At the end of the day, the collected material was set on fire, like a lighthouse, a sign of hope for drug users and society.

The media presence helped convince the local police that IDUs were doing something positive for the community: they were absolutely not against it and even supported it. In the future we hope to build on their support to set up a clean needle exchange programme. Looking back, the activity in Perlovka was a sign of IDUs taking up their responsibility and community leadership in the fight against unsafe injecting drug use and HIV. Kolodets managed to bring about the beginning of change in the negative attitudes of local police and citizens toward IDUs. For those who are ready to change, the "first red lighthouse" was lighted in Perlovka.