| AYISE |

BUILDING COMMUNITY COMPETENCE IN RESPONSE TO HIV AND AIDS PROJECT - BLANTYRE AND TYOLO DISTRICTS

The project addressed the following core issues:
HIV and AIDS - this was the key focus of the whole project
Gender Issues - through our partnership with Women in Action Against AIDS, and because HIV and AIDS disproportionately affect women
Child Protection - reducing HIV and AIDS deaths reduces the incidences of orphans, and the difficulties in child protection therein. Additionally AYISE directly supported vulnerable children through this project. The project also advocated child rights.

The Issues - click here to read more

HIV and AIDS is a major issue in Sub-Saharan Africa and unfortunately Malawi is no exception. Traditionally is has been common practice for men to have unprotected sex, and to keep more than one sexual relationship existing at the same time. This has led to a rapid spread of the disease, and its crippling effects on the countries it exists in are exacerbated in Malawi by the pre-existing poverty and lack of infrastructure to support any health services.

80% of Malawians live in rural areas, and are mostly too poor to travel far. Thus providing health services to them would be expensive for any government, but the Malawian government has fewer resources at its disposal than most, and so many people live a long way from their nearest health services. Those in rural areas are often provided with health advice by traditional healers who are not medically trained, and have skills only in addressing long-standing illnesses, and not new problems like HIV and AIDS.

A further problem, in all locations - urban and rural - is the misconception that hospitals are dangerous places. This self-fulfilling prophecy discourages people from seeking western medical assistance until the last resort - by which point they are beyond any help and die at hospital. When their family and friends hear they have died at hospital it reinforces their belief that hospitals are dangerous places, and so when they get sick, they too avoid seeking out scientific medical assistance until too late...and the cycle continues.

As in many countries, developed and developing, there is a strong stigma against having HIV or AIDS. Consequently people are reluctant to visit a clinic to be tested for the disease, as others may assume they already have the disease. It is not uncommon for husbands to leave their wives if they find the wife has HIV or AIDS, which leaves the wife with little economic security in the Malawian context. As a result of the reluctance to be tested, there is an ignorance of sero-status, which increases the risk of transmission.

Thus it can be seen that there is a lot of behaviour-change work to be done, and results will not be quick, but we must act now to start the change.

The Project - click here to read more

This project was based in 6 villages in Blantyre and Tyolo districts – Mbeka, Lunzu, Bvumbwe, Makwasa, Luchenza and Lirangwe. The projects aim was to create peer educators who would spread the information and motivation to address HIV & AIDS among their peers. AYISE set up HIV & AIDS Committees in each village, and each committee was comprised of influential women from Women In Action Against AIDS (WACA), youth groups, business people, and religious leaders. These individuals were all trained by AYISE who provided them with all the information they need to allow themselves and their peers to combat HIV & AIDS. The individuals who were trained by AYISE were then able to inspire, motivate and educate their peers. This method is far more effective than an external force attempting to win the hearts and minds of a population. AYISE's significant experience in this field has taught us that it is better to work with people who are already trusted and respected, where possible, as this produces the most lasting change.

In addition to the HIV & AIDS Committees, and their peer education work, AYISE also engaged in activities to support vulnerable children. The HIV & AIDS Committees identified households where there were child-headed families, or elderly-headed families. These households were then given direct support where necessary and when possible. Additionally the children were grouped into sections of around 10 individuals, and that section would be awarded a loan from a revolving fund to support small agricultural business such as keeping chickens and selling eggs. The children, where appropriate, were trained in entrepreneurship by DIMAT, and the skills they learned should enable them to avoid crushing poverty. This is vital in the fight against HIV & AIDS as poverty is the single biggest influencing factor in the spread of the disease.

Child Rights training sessions were conducted in schools, and a quiz competition was held on the topic, with prizes of footballs.

The Outcomes and Findings - click here to read more

AYISE received many positive testimonies on the effectiveness of the training provided, and how it had improved their lives.

Achievements:

Integration of people living with HIV & AIDS into the community
Communities have undertaken to protect girls from early marriages
Advocacy addressing stigma of HIV & AIDS has increased numbers of people voluntarily being tested.
The same advocacy has led to an increase in people declaring their status
Derogatory behaviour towards people living with HIV & AIDS has decreased
Communities are now willing and able to expose child abuse cases and report perpetrators to the police.
The perception of teachers in some schools has improved towards child rights.
Children themselves are aware of their rights and able to realise and report any type of abuse to either community leaders or head teachers
Foster parents and guardians have placed greater importance on the education of the children they care for
Community awareness of and respect for the rights of the child has been increased.

Challenges:

Lack of action and commitment from some Committee members
Community misconceptions on what AYISE’s loan scheme is focused on
Reluctance of Committee members to complete the necessary feedback and reporting forms
Reluctance of parents to register their children as they had previously done the same thing but no good had come of it
Resistance of teachers to Child Rights Clubs as they worry that the child will have higher status than adults, leading to impudence.