CHARME project
The CHARME Project is funded by a 7 year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), to monitor and evaluate its Avahan HIV/AIDS programme in India. The Project is managed by the Centre Hospitalier Affilié universitaire de Quebec (CHA), Canada. The major goal of the project is to study HIV transmission dynamics among and between core, bridge and general population groups and to assess the impact of HIV preventive interventions, using a combination of mathematical modelling and empirical data. In addition, the CHARME Project has a component to assess the cost-effectiveness of interventions in the four southern states of India covered by Avahan.

In order to facilitate the mathematical modelling, the CHARME Project collects data on sexual behaviour through serial cross-sectional surveys of general populations (GPS). In these surveys, respondents are asked to respond to a face-to-face interview and to provide blood and urine samples for STI and HIV testing. In addition, and as part of the GPS, the Project conducts polling booth surveys (PBS) of a sample of randomly selected people in the same district to validate the findings of the face-to-face interviews. The Project also undertakes quantitative and qualitative research in special behavioural surveys (SBS) of vulnerable populations such as FSWs, MSM and their clients.

In India, the CHARME project is housed in the Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) office and has an agreement with KHPT to provide administrative and logistical support to the project. In Karnataka, CHARME works closely with the University of Manitoba, the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) and with the KHPT, who together are the key implementers of HIV/AIDS prevention and care programming in the state. The University of Manitoba and KHPT and CHA are committed to transferring knowledge gained into the global effort to limit the impact of HIV/AIDS.

	HIV and STIs in Belgaum District Karnataka, India
	HIV and STIs in Mysore District Karnataka, India
	HIV and STIs in Bellary District Karnataka, India
	Sexual & Gender Relations and their Influence on the Risk of HIV Transmission in South India
	The Evolution of Female Sex Worker in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh,A Qualitative Study of HIV Related Issues
	A Comparison of Female Sex Work, Condom Use and Exposure to Programme Interventions in 3 Indian Districts
	Bangalore MSM Report
	Hiv Risk And Vulnerability in Fsw In Mumbai
	Programme Exposure,Sexual Mixing,Condom Use And Anal Sex among Fsw in Guntur
	Programme exposure,condom use and alcohol use among FSW In Urban Bangalore
	Programme exposure,Sexual mixing and Alcohol use among FSW in Belgaum
	Programme exposure and sexual behaviour in FSW, Bellary district