The following performance based activities are conducted to meet the goal and the strategic objectives of the project:
Curriculum Based Outreaches where Out of school youth and young adults are reached with messages beyond abstinence and being faithful through curriculum based outreaches. Trained peer educators conduct the outreach sessions and participants are drawn from the following primary target groups: unmarried young men /women, married young men/ women, young men working in the informal sectors (boda boda cyclists, fishermen), young men and women with different sexual orientations, HIV+ young men/ women, commercial sex workers, married adolescents, discordant couples.
Community Mobilization / Sensitization Campaigns are conducted in high risk neighborhoods and locations in Winam and Kombewa divisions to sensitize youth and young adults on the services provided by the project, and also promote community dialogue on HIV/AIDS / STI risk reduction and minimization strategies like condom use, knowing one’s HIV status. The community mobilizations and campaigns are reinforced by forum theatre, youth extravaganzas, interactive radio health programs, IEC materials like brochures.
Development / Pretesting/ Distribution of Youth Magazine - The project develops and distributes a 12-page youth magazine, The Stay Alive Youth Magazine, with messages that reinforce safer sex behaviors and practices, including information on STIs, HIV/AIDS, and experiences of youth and young adults living with HIV/AIDS. To get feed back from the youth readership, the magazine has “Letters to the editor” section, which collates all responses and enquiries from the youth, and is distributed through a network of youth action groups and the peer educators’ networks in the district.
Develop/ Pretest/ Air Radio Health Programs - To reinforce the risk reduction messages from the magazine and outreaches, the project also develops radio health programs, The Stay Alive Youth Radio programs which is developed through partnership with a community based radio station, Radio Nam Lolwe FM (FM 97.3). Youth and young adults are rallied to form Radio Listeners Clubs and Expert guest speakers are invited to the weekly radio program.
STI screening and Treatment - Male STI patients and their partners are screened and treated. Men and their sexual partners who come for STI treatment undergo rigorous risk reduction Counselling.
Voluntary HIV Counselling and Testing - Youth and young adults are counseled and tested for HIV. Clients for HIV Counselling services are recruited through outreaches and community mobilization campaigns. Those who turn negative, and are interested in being circumcised are referred to UNIM and the district health facilities for voluntary safe male circumcision. VCT provides an entry point for MC, thus the provision of comprehensive prevention package. Those who turn positive are referred to KIPE for psychosocial support and to Tuungane Youth Project for ARVs.
Condom Promotion and distribution - The project has set up 250 mobile condom service outlets, through the trained peer educators who are supported to educate their sexually active peers on proper and consistent condom use.
Group/ Individual Risk Reduction Counselling Sessions are conducted weekly by trained peer counsellors with focus on disclosure of HIV status to sexual partners, drugs and substance abuse prevention, increasing social skills of HIV+ members, assertive communication skills, identifying triggers for unsafe sex, ways to incorporate new safe sex strategies/ building of risk reduction skills. Couple Counselling sessions with seropositive and discordant couples are conducted by trained psychological counselors with a focus on disclosure, safe sex through consistent condom use, intimate partner violence, sexual communication and decision making, stigmatization of partners with HIV.
Link HIV negative young men to MC services - HIV negative young men are be mobilized and linked to MC services at UNIM and other MoH accredited health facilities in the district. This is preceded by comprehensive HIV prevention education through small group sessions.
