The EU has successfully completed a three-year, country-wide project in support of HIV patients in Eritrea. The project was implemented through BIDHO, an Eritrean civil society organisation, operating under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health. Its focus has been on four main areas: (1) raising awareness about HIV in the population; (2) income generation and distribution of key commodities among some of the most vulnerable members of BIDHO; (3) identification of women for antiretroviral treatment (ART) by the Ministry of Health to block mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and (4) training of BIDHO staff in all the zobas.

The project has directly reached a total of 6.900 people. Through income generation and awareness campaigns the number of indirect beneficiaries is, however, considerably higher, amounting to more than 20.000.