Community-based HIV prevention & stigma reduction project under the global fund round 8 HIV grant

Community-Based HIV prevention & Stigma reduction project under the global fund round 8 HIV grant through IOM-International Organization for Migration:

Implemented by KAALO Relief and Development

Overall Project Goal is Halting and reversing the spread, and reducing the impact of HIV in Puntland Zones particularly Nugal and mudug Regions.

Project Objectives are the following on the below:

1.  To increase awareness of key affected populations and vulnerable and other groups,

2.  To increase the capacity of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to be better able to coordinate and address HIV and AIDS issues activities.

Projection location: Puntland Zone mainly in Garowe, Galkaio Burtile and Tukaraq.

Beneficiary Population of the project: (MARPs) the most-at-risk people living in Puntland (sex workers, truck drive, tea and khat seller, uniformed services.

The project targeted beneficiaries from various vulnerable people such as Sex worker, Tea seller, khat seller and uniformed services.

Time frame of the project: from April 15th to November 2011

Project Description

The project of community-based HIV prevention and stigma reduction under the global fund round 8 HIV grant project which is implemented by KAALO Relief & Development in Puntland State of Somalia and particularly Nugal and Mudug regions. The project has been funded by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) as sub-recipient under the global fund round 8 HIV grant project.

The project was designed to increase awareness of key affected populations and vulnerable women and other groups such as most at risk peoples (MARPs) targeting truck drivers, khat/tea sellers, female sex workers, uniformed services, military camps and as well the PLHIV in Nugal and Mugug Region.

The situation of the HIV/AIDS in Punt land is currently deteriorating and its rate is gradually increasing, it causes the below steps:

1. Low level of awareness-raising on STIs or HIV/AIDS in the MARPs.
2. Inadequate information of HIV as well as cultural factors or misperception on HIV. Some people believe that HIV/STI      is the curses from Allah.
3. Trust the disease come from the animal  not from the STI,
4. The pirates spread the HIV
5. The high occurrence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) in Punt land pretences an additional risk      factor for spreading HIV.
6. Female Khat/tea sellers are vulnerable to the sexual violence as well as resorting to the informal sex work.
7. Truck drivers have a limited access to STI information and treatment on HIV/AIDS
8. Condom use is power full protection but only by Doctors classified as medical responsible way.
9. A couple’s sexual behaviour is important   specifically the types of sexual.

The objects of the training underlining the following:

1.  Increase awareness to protect HIV

2.  Promote the capacity of MARPS Group such as Truck drivers and Khat,/ tea sellers to be aware of the STI

3.  Learn the participants the signs and symptoms of the HIV

4.  Reduce the stigma of PLWHA.

5.  Disseminate the risk of HIV in the community

Activities that KAALO Relief & Development implemented for 2011 such as:

1. Preparation of Outreach sessions action      plan.
2. Preparation of training logistics      (training materials, venue, refreshment/meals orders).
3. Conducted MARPs outreach training sessions for Burtinle truck drivers of 25      participants at Nasteex women Organization.
4. Conducted outreach MARPs 25 female Khat and Tea sellers in Garowe at KAALO      Conference hall).
5. Recruitment of 4 mentors for four small CSO on organizational capacity development.
6. Implementation of mentoring for 4 small CSOs (SYSA, SOSCO,SWA and NOW) on organizational      capacity development by recruited mentors under the community based HIV prevention and stigma reduction project.
7. Implementation and conducted awareness raising training for 240 MARPs( most at risk populations) including Tea      seller, Khat sellers , unformed services and sex workers. KAALO vividly      participated in preparation of World AIDS-day and contributed $10100(one      thousand and one hundred USD)
8. KAALO was to  conduct three quarterly review meetings including round 8 phase 1 year3      activities, but none of the reviews was conducted due to their planned      schedule because of delay from PAC ( Puntland AIDS commission). After that      IOM and KAALO discussed the issue and agreed to extend 40 days of non-cost      extension for KAALO to carry out the activities. During the extended time KAALO provided financial support to 6 LNGOs who participated in the annual      review meeting held at Rugsan-square meeting Hall used as venue on      21/12/2011. The meeting was arranged by PAC.These 6 LNGOs representatives      came from Bosasso, Galkayo, Badhan and Gardo.

CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING FOR SMALL NGOS IN PUNTLAND

The overall objectives of capacity building for small NGOs :

The overall objective of Capacity Development Training on Community Based HIV prevention and Stigma Reduction of Global Fund Round 8 HIV Grant Project. Trainees will have upgraded capacity and accessibility of understanding, preventing & reducing HIV/Stigma.

Topic to be covered during the capacity development Training:

1. Proposal and report writing
2. Project cycle Management
3. Communication skills
4. Financial management and Auditing
5. Database Base Management
6. Organizational development
7. Knowledge management
8. Facilitation skills
9. Evaluation and assessment skills

Evaluation method used and results

• Practical learning evaluation tools
• Daily recap and 3-daily short evaluation on lesson learned and not learned
• Stick-it yellow paper positive-negative aspects/ elements of training
• Feedback moments and forms
• Action plans, and
• Follow-up to training; after the training finishes

Between 26^th of October and 5^th of October 2011 a 10-day capacity development training was conducted for 4 local Puntland NGOs, namely SYSA, NOW, SWA and SOSCO in Garowe. The training was officially organized under the auspices of KAALO Relief and Development NGO based in Garowe and the training was given by Ms Sahra Ahmed Koshin of Sahra Consultancy Inc www.sahraconsultancy.com &Mohamed Said Farah.

During the training, the trainers created a Google group documents for easier sharing of documents and communication. The groups name is PCM training for Puntland NGOs and their link is [email protected]

The trainers have put all the training documents on the group forum and all of the participants are members and already sharing resources and communicating with one another. Each day of the 10-day training program, the trainers with the assistance of the co-facilitator would begin the day with a recap and question and answer session. After 3 days a short evaluation was conducted to evaluate the learning capacity of the participants. The training workshop took place in Kaalo NGO office premises.

Each day of the 10-day training program, the trainers with the assistance of the co-facilitator would begin the day with a recap and question and answer session. After 3 days a short evaluation was conducted to evaluate the learning capacity of the participants. The training workshop took place in Kaalo NGO office premises.

Recommendations and suggested way forward for mentorship

Overall, the training went very smoothly and was a great successful. The attendance, performance and punctuality of the 12 participants were very good. As we have been directly involved in the training and assessment o the 4 Puntland NGOs and also interacting with them on a daily basis, we recommend the following planning structure for the mentorship.

Maymuna Salad Weyrah

HIV/AIDs Project Manager

KAALO Relief and Development

Garowe, Puntland Somalia.