www.stopaidsnow.org July 2009
Welcome to newsletter of the HIV prevention project for youth
This is a newsletter we intend to publish on a quarterly basis during the course of the Project to keep you informed of the latest news in the Prevention project for youth in Zambia and Zimbabwe and in the area’s of HIV prevention, youth and behaviour change. We hope this small communication tool will help keep you up to date and stimulate questions and discussion on your part. The idea is also to create a link between the newsletter and existing communication tools. So, when your mind is pricked you can look up more information on the website and talk about the issues of interest to you with other project participants.

As this newsletter progresses along with the Project itself we expect to adapt it considerably to suit your interest and needs. Therefore, please keep us informed about what you want to see in this newletter. We look forward to hearing from you.

Warm wishes
Miriam Groenhof
Project coordinator – HIV prevention for youth – Quality and Scale

Go straight to:
Project update Zambia
Project update Zimbabwe
Downloadable resources

Why a prevention project for youth?
Download: Project proposal - Qualitative study Young people account for half of all new infections
There is no doubt that universal access to HIV prevention cannot be reached if new infections among young people are not strongly targeted. Young people (15-24 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide - more than 6,000 become infected with HIV every day. This is the same age group that also has the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Research from around the world shows an alarming degree of misinformation and lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS among young people, especially young women. Surveys in sub-Saharan Africa found that Only 40% of young people between the ages of 15 and 24 demonstrated accurate and comprehensive knowledge about HIV. (UNAIDS, 2008).

This project has been initiated by STOP AIDS NOW! and its partners in order to increase access to qualitative HIV Prevention projects for youth.

Project content
The project on HIV prevention for youth – Quality and Scale is a new and fourth development project. Its overall goal is to decrease new HIV infection under youth by improving the quality of prevention efforts, in particular Life Skill programmes and to increase their accessibility. Fifteen organisations in Zambia and Zimbabwe are part of this project. The project will end mid 2011 and will results in concrete tools that can be useful for all working in this area of expertise.

You can find more information about all the Developing projects of STOP AIDS NOW! on our website.

Our focus
This project intends to focus on two main questions:
  1. How can we increase quality of existing Life Skill programmes?
  2. How can we maintain quality of Life Skill programmes when scaling up activities?

The organisations involved in the two countries will, as a group address these main questions. Activities in the course of this project will link up with National Strategies for prevention of HIV and AIDS and focus on:

  • Identifying quality aspects of Life Skill programmes
  • Identifying ways to increase quality of Life skill programmes
  • Identifying ways to maintain quality within scaling up of programmes
  • Monitoring and evaluate activities and efforts
  • Sharing results and learned lessons


THE LATEST NEWS from Zambia
Project update
1. Management
Status: In Zambia: temporary coordination structure
In the Netherlands: Steering group + advisory group

2. Selection of partners
Status: partners have been selected (November/December 2009). Nine partners in Zambia take part: HODI (Oxfam partner) Women for Change (Oxfam partner) CHEP (Hivos partner) Catholic Diocese of Ndola (Cordaid partner) PPHZP (Cordaid partner) HACER (the Aids Fonds) SPW (Dance4Life) Planned Parenthood Association, PLAN Zambia (PLAN international)

3. Introduction meeting
Status: January 2009
Download: Report introduction meeting Zambia
In the very beginning of this year, 5th and 6th of January, all selected partners came together for the first introduction meeting of this project. An external facilitator was present to facilitate the meeting. Priority areas Zambia. Our main question to the partners have been, what are your interests in relation to the described goals of the prevention project. As a result of the two-day meeting they have come forward with a number of priority areas which they want to address.
These are:
  • Capacity building
    Programme development, PM&E, documenting, fundraising, lobby and advocacy, research
  • Coordination/ networking
    Sharing and linking and learning
  • Roles and place of Livelihood programmes in relation to Life Skills
  • Scaling up
  • Research

4. Development of an action plan
Status: preparing meetings
Coming up: Final proposal needs assessment (July 2009) - Partner meeting (August 2009)
An Action Plan will be developed together with all involved organisations. Activities will be related to the overall goal and will strengthen current activities of involved organisations. In Zambia participants will base their action plan on the outcomes of a needs assessment. The final proposal will be ready by August 2009. In a next partner meeting (August) partners will develop an Action Plan as a group in a three-day meeting.

5. Implementation of activities
Expected: 2009/ 2010: Implement activities in relation to: How to increase quality of Life skill programmes?
2010: Implement activities in relation to a Pilot: How to maintain quality of LS programmes within scaling up?
2011: Activities related to the Development of proposal for scaling up

6. Monitoring and evaluation
Expected: Within the Action Plan, organisations will describe how they will monitor & evaluate their activities on process en effect. Collaboration with research institutes will be established.

THE LATEST NEWS from Zimbabwe
Project update
1. Management
Status: In Zimbabwe: temporary coordination structure (FACT, Umzingwane Aids Network, Patsime) In the Netherlands: Steering group + advisory group

2. Selection of partners
Status: Partners have been selected (November. December 2009).
Eight partners in Zimbabwe take part: FACT Mutare, Uzumba Orphan Care, Bekezela Home Based Care, Insiza Godlwayo Aids Council, Umzingwane Aids Network, Patsime Trust, Young Africa, ZACH (all partners of ICCO or HIVOS)

3. Introduction meeting
Status: April 2009
Download: Report introduction meeting Zimbabwe
The first introduction meeting in Zimbabwe took place on the 26th and 27th of April 2009. An external facilitator was present to facilitate the meeting. Priority areas Zimbabwe. Based on several group activities regarding challenges, gaps and opportunities, the participants identified the following priority areas:

  • Monitoring and evaluation
  • Resources e.g. materials/ tools
  • Lobby and advocacy
  • Volunteers management
  • Targeting difficult to reach youth

4. Development of an Action Plan
Status: Preparing meetings
Expected: Proposal for coming three months - Possible training on M&E by WPF - Partner meeting (August 2009)
An Action Plan will be developed together with all involved organisations. Activities will be related to the overall goal and will strengthen current activities of involved organisations. In Zimbabwe participants will invite several experts who will inform and train them on their selected subjects. Based on these meetings they will then develop their Action Plan.

5. Implementation of activities
Expected: 2009/ 2010: Implement activities in relation to: How to increase quality of Life skill programmes?
2010: Implement activities in relation to a Pilot: How to maintain quality of LS programmes within scaling up?
2011: Activities related to the Development of proposal for scaling up

6. Monitoring and evaluation
Expected: Within Action Plan organisations will describe how they will monitor& evaluate their activities on process en effect. Collaboration with research institutes will be established.

Interesting resources
Behaviour Change – Life Skill education

Country specific
Zimbabwe

Zambia




STOP AIDS NOW! is a partnership between Aids Fonds, Hivos, ICCO, Cordaid, Oxfam Novib