Our Work in Rwanda
Overview
In Rwanda, through it's implementing partner PSI, the Abt Associates led-PSP-One project launched a new family planning program designed to increase the modern contraceptive prevalence rate by increasing availability of affordable hormonal contraceptives and condoms through private sector and community-based distribution. All communications efforts targeted the complex personal and social issues that drive unmet need in Rwanda, including fear of side effects, myths and misconceptions about hormonal contraceptives, and real and perceived social norms that pressure women and men to have children before they are ready.
Integrated High Risk Programs (ABC/CT)
PSP-One’s Integrated High Risk Programs targeted military, prisoners, policemen, local defense forces and commercial sex workers. During the last quarter of 2005, the Military and Prisoners Programs saw an increase in number of people who received VCT services with 1,326 soldiers (males) and 656 prisoners (of whom 47 were females ) respectively. For prisoners, PSP-One strengthened referrals by facilitating transportation of HIV+ prisoners for CD4 count at the nearest hospital, and worked with the prison administration and the hospital for a long-term sustainable referral system. RDF Soldiers were referred to the Kanombe military hospital through the Medical Brigade Doctors for follow-on services. The program was also selected by the CNLS as a “best practice” in combining BCC campaign with mobile VCT services for hard-to-reach populations. The Military mobile VCT program got its first international recognition, as it hosted a team of 10 people from Burundi (8 of whom were Senior Officers from Burundi National Army) who visited PSP-One and DMS to learn from the successes of BCC, VCT and Treatment, Care and Support services among RDF. Trained peer educators continued to conduct IPC sessions and mobile video shows in targeted brigades and prisoners. Face-to-face ABC messages reached 16,817prisoners and 3,304 soldiers. More than 2000 brochures (cartoons) targeting soldiers with VCT promotion messages were distributed, and 3 radio spots also promoting VCT were developed and aired on radio.
As part of an integrated BCC project targeting members of the National Police, Local Defense Forces (LDF) and Commercial Sex Workers, PSP-One organized a 5-day intensive training of trainers (TOT) program in Kigali for 25 policemen and 5 policewomen. Participants represented 12 Police Units (Police Medical Officers (PMOs) and Gishari Police Training School and Ruhengeri Police Training Academy). Members of the national police trained expressed the desire to produce IEC materials that differentiate male and female counterparts but also involve community members, since they interact from day-to-day. Supervision of commercial sex workers (CSWs), trained as peer educators by PSI/Rwanda in 2005, continued in the provinces of Kibuye, Gitarama, Kigali rural, Cyangugu, Butare, Gisenyi and Ruhengeri. Supervision reports showed that a total of 4,474 CSWs were reached through peer education activities. In addition, 22 CSWs associations initially composed of over 1600 members had doubled its members during this quarter, mainly because: (a) members had access to medical care through health insurance supplied by PSP-One; (b) income-generating activities contributed to empowering CSW members of these associations both financially and morally. The associations slowly started gaining trust and receiving support from the local leaders and authorities, including the CPLS, to facilitate HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns among other community members.
Integrated Youth Programs (AB/CT)
(1) Centre Dushishoze: During this period, a total of 21,644 youth visited the Dushishoze Centers in Kibungo, Ruhengeri and Butare (including re-visits), of whom 2,367 young people received youth-friendly VCT services. In order to improve quality of services, the Centers evaluated and revised the referral system for HIV+ clients, data management, and the integration of VCT services with general reproductive health education. Meanwhile, volunteer peer educators continued outreach IPC sessions, emphasizing promotion of Centre Dushishoze services and generic BCC messages on reproductive health, life skills, prevention of HIV/AIDS and STIs, and strategies to encourage Abstinence. In total, PSP-One’s volunteer peer education team conducted 365 face-to-face IPC group sessions and 7 mobile video shows in within the catchment areas of Centre Dushishoze in Butare, Ruhengeri, and Kibungo. All these IPC sessions and video shows reached a total of 16,936 young people (7,573 girls and 9,363 boys).
(2) ABAJENE! Radio Program: The weekly call-in ABAJENE! Radio Show reached national coverage, as the airing radio, Contact FM, covered all regions of Rwanda. The program continued focusing on fostering positive attitudes towards abstinence, promoting life skills and encouraging improved communication between young boys and girls about sexuality and HIV/AIDS. The number of youth calling into the show from both rural and urban areas increased from an average of 10 young boys and girls to an average of 16 youth per a show, as compared to the previous reporting period. Themes surrounding Abstinence created a hot debate among Rwandan youth, and questions such as “What is your position to ABSTINENCE today” or “how to encourage ABTSINENCE among peers?”, “How do develop healthy relationships between a girl and a boy without engaging into sexual intercourses?” became central to discussions broadcasted by the Radio ABAJENE! Youth in rural areas wrote letters and emails to PSP-One, asking the ABAJENE! Radio Team to visit their schools and villages, in order to provide more information and animate the discussions. PSP-One accommodated their wish and thus created a stronger linkage between community outreach face-to-face activities and the national radio show.
(3) Healthy Schools Initiative (CDC funds): PSP-One implemented a new project targeting secondary school students and their teachers and parents in the former Kigali city and Gitarama provinces. In close collaboration with MINEDUC and FAWE, a Rwandan NGO working to improve gender equality and girls’ education, 30 pilot secondary schools were selected in Kigali and Gitarama and a team of PSP-One, CDC, MINEDUC and FAWE representatives went on a study tour to Kenya to learn from a “Families Matter” program. During this quarter, 372 students (all members of existing Anti-Aids-Clubs) from 11 secondary schools in Kigali City were trained in Life Skills, HIV/AIDS, STIs, peer education, gender equality and interpersonal communication. During the upcoming quarter, PSP-One’s youth team also planned to continue the trainings of 350 students from the former Gitarama province; provide TA and strengthen the capacity of the Anti-Aids-Clubs to conduct outreach IPC sessions; organize a workshop with the beneficiaries to develop key themes and messages of a Healthy Schools Youth Campaign; and start developing the training modules for parents and teachers together with MINEDUC, FAWE, target schools and local authorities.
Cross-cutting VCT
PSP-One’s VCT technical assistance team continued to supervise all VCT counselors in the Dushishoze Centers and mobile VCT units, conducted regular QA activities and monitored the referrals of clients for follow-on clinical services. PSP-One continued to work very closely with the TRAC (National Treatment and Research Center for AIDS and other epidemic diseases) and the Prisoners’ Health Steering Committee to address prisoners’ demand for VCT, care and support services. During this quarter, PSP-One worked to finalize a national strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention in prisons, in collaboration with this committee.
Results:
October 05-Sept 07
- Number of individuals provided with high-quality VCT services: 41,232
- Number of commercial condom retail outlets established selling Prudence Plus Condoms within the catchment area of targeted police battalions and CSW zones and in the areas around (outside) prisons: 99
- Number of commercial condom retail outlets established selling Prudence Plus Condoms within the catchment area of existing VCT sites and at the VCT sites to target discordant couples and HIV+ clients: 127
- Number of individuals reached through a community-based communications campaigns, peer education, and mobile video sessions: 174,369
- Number of counselors and peer educators trained to promote correct and consistent condom use and to organize "condom demonstration" during IPC and counseling sessions: 653
- Number of FBOs trained to promote fidelity and prevent alcohol consumption among married couples: 166
