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HIV PREVENTION

EMPOWERING WOMEN, PROMOTING CHANGE

PEMBA | MOZAMBIQUE

2017-2018

about

AVSI Mozambique is implementing the project “Empowering Women, Promoting Change” (2017-2018) with local partners and funding from the US Embassy in Mozambique/PEPFAR.

challenges

With HIV infection rates around 15% for the general population in Mozambique, the challenge of achieving an AIDS-free generation requires spreading information and services that are targeted to community needs, sensitive to cultural and religious values, and sustained.

AVSI Mozambique has identified the counseling center run by the Irmãs Pastorelas congregation as the only center specifically dedicated to people living with HIV in the neighborhood of Alto Gingone. The Provincial Centre for Fight against HIV/AIDS, while not contributing financially to the costs of the structure, recognizes the unique and essential role played by the Congregation in Alto Gingone. The congregation runs the center independently and their lack of funds is chronic. This center needs to be strengthened and formally linked to the state system to be able to sustainably deliver its essential services. 

The second relevant problem that needs to be addressed is the limited knowledge about HIV/AIDS related issues and prevention among young people. According to the Provincial Centre for Fight against HIV / AIDS, the main causes of the spread of HIV are such practices as multiple sexual partners, cross generational sex, commercial sex, low/incorrect condom use, low rate of voluntary diagnostic test, and early initiation into sexual life. 

The final problem is a pervasive lack of basic information about HIV/AIDS among the general population in Pemba.

With HIV infection rates around 15% for the general population in Mozambique, the challenge of achieving an AIDS-free generation requires spreading information and services that are targeted to community needs, sensitive to cultural and religious values, and sustained.

 

response

This one-year project will have a multi-dimensional approach involving: strengthening the counseling center, training target groups (adults and traditional leaders) and finally, spreading basic preventative information to a wider audience.

The goal is to capitalize on the lessons learned while adding new tools such as the savings and loans groups, in order to create more effective actions with lasting impact. With this project, AVSI will strengthen and foster the relationship and collaboration with important local partners such as the Diocesan Caritas of Pemba, the Provincial Centre for Fight Against HIV/AIDS, Associação Médicos Tradicionais de Moçambique (AMETRAMO) and Radio Sem Fronteiras.

Working both through service supply (counseling center) and information (training and communication), this project will achieve results that are mutually reinforcing, thus triggering a virtuous circle. 

objectives

  1. Target group of women with HIV to increase their knowledge of HIV treatment, improve retention and adherence to ART and create mechanisms to increase their livelihoods;
  2. Target groups of young adults to increase their knowledge of HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention;
  3. Target groups of traditional medicine practitioners to increase their knowledge of HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention;
  4. Increase the access to information about HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention for the population of Pemba and edit a systematization handbook on lessons learned

The intervention will specifically target the following groups:

  • 60 adult women with LHIV and their relatives,
  • 50 young adults, both HIV positive and negative, and
  • 40 traditional medicine practitioners

The entire population of Pemba will also benefit from mass communication interventions and increased knowledge of systematization.