USAID MULU Key Population HIV Prevention Project

Name of Implementing Partner: New Millennium Hope Development Organization
Funding Agency: PSI/Ethiopia
Intervention areas/Towns: Tsegede Cluster: Dansha, Ketema Nigus, Kebabo, Division
Project Period: May 2018-September 2018

MULU KPP Workplace HIV Prevention project use a combination prevention approach in delivering behavioral, biomedical and structural interventions. Behavioral activities include reaching FSW and PP (clients, Waitresses and truckers) through small group and one to one sessions, outreach and community mobilization as per the manual specifically designed for each groups. MULU KPP HIV prevention project delivers Biomedical services through outreach, and Public, Private and NGOs (PPN) facilities to ensure that clients’ access HIV testing and other integrated services. Along with supporting the government system to effectively respond to the HIV/AIDS needs at the national and regional level, the project support the community economic strengthening activities so that reduce financial vulnerability of the target groups.

Outcome of the project in four closed towns of Tsegede Cluster, Tigray

MULU KPP HIV prevention (FSW, Clients, Waitress, Posttest, and Truckers) of the community got Behavioral communication change through Peer education session

97 Peer Educators got training
Small group session: 14576 session participants completed the session
500,000 target of the project got awareness about the behavioral communication change.

STRATEGIES AND APPROACHES OF THE PROJECT

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

1. Preventing new HIV infections by reducing behavioral risk factors among most-at-risk populations and other highly vulnerable populations.

2. Strengthening community level systems and structures to support combination prevention.

3. Increasing the capacity of GoE to lead HIV prevention interventions that are based on the local epidemiology of new infections.

GOALS OF THE PROJECT

Understanding the existing high risk behaviors in the project area, the project aimed at contributing to the national goal of reducing new HIV infections by 50% (SPM II) and supporting the 2015-2020 HIV Investment Case for Ethiopia that calls for targeted approaches to high impact interventions to pave the path for designing and implementing different strategies to increase availability of high quality comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment services for KPP: /95-95-95/.

STRATEGIES OF THE PROJECT

Standardizing the approach to combination HIV prevention programming for intensity and scale, and
Implementing a index case testing through evidence-based approach to delivering high yield of the victims.
Deploying those with leadership qualities and show willingness to work for the community on a volunteer basis.
Utilizing those who have good communication and interpersonal skills, which can read and write for the ease of common understanding on the issues.
Boosting those who are recommended by other workforces for peer positions

STRENGTHS OF THE PROJECT

BCC activities such as peer educators training and peer sessions of all categories successfully implemented.
Condom distribution through fixed condom outlets, mobile condom outlets, community wide events and outreaches and its management is good
Commitment of Peer Educators was very high despite any challenging situation
Quarterly and monthly review meeting plan orientation conducted on time with officers and outreach workers, FSWs, PEs, and stakeholders
The commitment of officers, counselors and community mobilizers was very good regardless of the challenging behavior of the target group
The Community Wide Event conducted at all towns as planned

- NMHDO/MULU KPP HIV prevention regional officer conducted quarterly Supportive Supervision at all towns.

- Targets of MULU KPP HIV prevention project got lesson and awareness on how to use condom.

CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED AND LIMITATIONS OF THE PROJECT

Resistance of get keepers to send waitress to session
Shortage of transportation of condom at town level.
Low condom distribution, low yield at Outreach & private clinics and successful referral
Budget delay to release from PSI/Ethiopia
Low tendency of beneficiaries to visit private and public institutes.
Delay of reports from town level officers.
Less amount of cost of refresher of participants