AIDS response in Vietnam and Laos: To promote a right-based inclusive approach on HIV/AIDS policy for

discriminated indigenous people and PLHIV in Quang Tri province in Vietnam and Sepone district in Laos

Presented by Issack Robert Rao Presented by Issack Robert Rao Project ManagerProject Manager

February 21February 21stst, 2011, 2011

Project title and main donors1- Title: Towards mainstreaming the discriminated

populations in the HIV/AIDS struggle in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

• French Agency of Development (AFD)• European Initiative for Democracy and Human Right

(EIDHR)

3- Total of budget: 1,360,500 € (Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos)

Budget Vietnam-Laos: 1,051,000 € (including about 40.000 euros for regional activities)

Of which:• AFD: 44.3% / 473,000 €• EIDHR: 22.9% / 243,000 € • HI: 32.8%

Objectives

• Overall objective: To contribute to the HIV/AIDS risk transmission decrease among sedentary and migrant populations living along the road 9 in Vietnam and in Laos. To contribute to the taking into account of minorities in Vietnamese and Lao development policies

• Specific objective: Ethnic minorities populations from age group of 12 to 49 in the hills area along the road 9 in Savannakhet province in Laos and Quang Tri province in Vietnam are engaged in prevention, testing and care process in the HIV response

E

Components Expected Results

SocioeconomicSocioeconomic 1-With the support of ACEP and Red Cross, implement economical and social activities for ethnic populations by allowing them to think about the long-term risks, and provide inclusive support to PLHIV

Behavior Behavior ChangeChangeAwareness- Awareness- RaisingRaising

2-An operational awareness raising system, adapted to the minorities culture and their way of life, improves behavior change towards HIV prevention for all the population

VCT services - VCT services - Mobile and at Mobile and at VCT centersVCT centers

3-A screening system for treatment access and care of clients is operational in 2 target districts in Quang Tri province and in Dong Ha, Vietnam

Support to Support to PLHIVPLHIV

4-Existing and emerging local NGOs and project partners are able to develop awareness-raising actions concerning HIV, adapted to minorities context ,and in coordination with institutional and non-governmental actors

Beneficiaries up to December 2010

No. Beneficiaries TargetedAchieved

Male Female Total1 No. of beneficiaries in socioeconomic

activities 2,400

1,107

1,253

2,360

In Vietnam 1,600 656 744 1,400 In Laos 800 451 509 960 2 No. of ethnic minority people who benefited of

wareness raising activities 6,000 1,949 1,809 3,758

In Vietnam 1,565 1,724 3,289 In Laos 384 85 469 3 No. of participants in HIV group discussion 1,200 244 173 417 4 No. of pupils who participated 3,000 1,321 1,551 2,872 5 No. of clients of VCT counseled 600 814 1,123 1,937 6 No. of villagers who had pre-test counseling,

screening test, and post test counseling 1,400 249 344 593

7 No. Partners' staffs trained 96 68 102 170 8 No. of PLHIV motivated to join Yeu thuong

Club 8 16 24

Main project partners

Name of partner Type Field Private/Public

1- Department of Foreign Affairs (DOFA)

Provincial department managing external affairs

Coordination Public/Government

2- Advancement for Community Empowerment and Partnership (ACEP)

Local NGO Livelihood and social activities;Group dynamics

Private

3- Department of Education and Training (DOET)

Provincial department managing education and training

Behavior Change in schoolsPeer educators

Public/Government

4- Provincial Red Cross Association (RC)

Humanitarian affairs

Inclusion for PLHIV (Micro-credit, follow-up)

Public/Government

Main project partners

Name of partner Type Field Private/Public

5- Provincial HIV/AIDS Prevention Center (PHPC)

Health service

HIV/AIDS prevention and VCT, reference and medical care

Public/Government

6- Dakrong District Health Center

Health service

HIV/AIDS prevention and VCT

Public/Government

7- Huong Hoa District Health Center

Health service

HIV/AIDS prevention and VCT

Public/Government

8- Yeu Thuong Club Community Based Organization/Local NGO

Inclusion of PLHIV and family supportHIV/AIDS preventionAdvocacy and lobbying

Private

Main activitiesComponents Main activities

SocioeconomicSocioeconomic - Participatory Rural Assessment Activity- Social and Livelihood / economic activities -Technical & financial support- Group Dynamic

Behavior Behavior ChangeChangeAwareness Awareness RaisingRaising

- Knowledge Attitude Practice and Behavior (KAPB) survey - Production of IEC tools- Training of health workers , peer educators and teachers- HIV group discussion- Events at community- Intra and extra curriculum activities

VCT services - VCT services - Mobile and at Mobile and at VCT centersVCT centers

- Establishment of VCT centers- Trainings for VCT team- Screening test, reference to medical care support- Counseling, prevention in VCT centers and through mobile VCT team

Support to Support to PLHIVPLHIV

- PLHIV meetings- Provincial PLHIV workshop-Trainings for core members and PHPC team-Activities managed by PLHIV (economic, micro-credit, social, etc.)- Innovation Day (competition)- Micro-credit and savings

Main achievements

No Main Indicators Planned Achieved %I SOCIOECONOMIC      1 No. of economic projects 410 310 73.2 2 No. of beneficiaries 2,350 2,360 100.4 3 No. of dynamic groups created 120 79 65.8 II BEHAVIOR CHANGE      1 No. of ethnic minority people who

benefited of awareness-raising 6,000 3,758 62.6

2 No. of groups in HIV discussion in villages

132 42 31.8

3 No. of participants in HIV group discussion

1,200 417 34.8

4 No. of events in schools 24 9 37.5 5 No. of pupils who participated 3,000 2,872 95.7

Main achievements

No Main Indicators Planned Achieved %III VCT      1 No. of quick tests 2,000 2,180 109.0 2 No. of VCT clients counseled

and tested 600 1,937 322.8

3 No. of villagers counseled and tested

1,400 593 42.4

IV CAPACITY BUILDING      1 No. of motivations of new

members to YTC 18 11 61.1

2 No. of trainings for YTC 9 7 77.8 3 Exchange experience with

others PLHIV groups 12 6 50.0

4 YTC Integrated activities 8 21 262.5

Main achievements

• Mobile VCT model of HIV prevention intervention introduced in Quang Tri province

• HIV group discussion with new IEC tools, such as role plays introduced for the first time in Quang Tri province

• With HI support, for the first time a club (Yeu Thuong Club) comprising of PLHIV to implement HIV prevention activities and carry out the voice of PLHIV (advocacy and lobbying) has been established in Quang Tri province

Main achievements

• Villagers now feel comfortable to sit together and discuss on topics of HIV and AIDS

• Ethnic minority communities highly appreciate getting VCT services delivered at their door steps as well as HIV group discussions among Yeu Thuong Club members at the community level

• Project interventions has created a greater level of awareness in the community regarding HIV and has provided for better and early detection of HIV cases through VCT centers and mobile VCT activities

Main obstaclesOperational Financial Human

ResourceCommunication

Difficult to monitor ACEP’s activities due to various reasons

Budget limitation for undertaking economic activities

Lack of ACEP staff in Laos

ACEP Project Manager based in Hanoi and could not supervise closely project activities and cannot take quick decision even when asked by HI

Frequent change of activity plan by District Health Centers makes monitoring of activities difficult for HI project officer

Budget limitation for partners to monitor field activities

Limitation of human resource in DHCs makes it difficult for them to respond to project’s needs

Non acceptance of any communication channels, either through emails or telephone calls from government offices (as an official medium lead to delayed activities)

Main obstaclesOperational Financial Human

ResourceCommunication

Knowledge and skills of Yeu Thuong Club core members on group management are limited

Limited knowledge of Yeu Thuong Club members to manage funds received from VAAC

-Health of Yeu Thuong members are not stable at all times- Some of Yeu Thuong members are not active

Core members of Yeu Thuong Club lack skills on working on computer and internet

Main lessons learnta- Livelihood activities can generate greater participation of

beneficiariesb- Community consultation is important to fix the time and

date of group discussion, as people spend most of their time working in the field

c- Students’ participation in HIV group discussion is possible only during holidays

d- Use of local language (Van Kieu language) in HIV group discussion as well as in production of communication materials led to greater participation of community

e- More participation of groups in planning will lead to greater decision making in executing project activities

f- Close cooperation between HI and partners results in better understanding of project objectives and effective implementation of activities

g- Establishment of good coordination between HI and partners can lead to greater success of the project

Main documentation produced• Quarterly and annual

reports; M&E plan; Project leaflet

• IEC tools on HIV group discussion

• Leaflet of condom use• VCT activity: Leaflet and

video (VCD)• Support to Yeu thuong

Club: Leaflet of Yeu thuong Club, Testimony books on Yeu thuong members, Video on PLHIV

Ways forward1. With AFD, No-cost extension phase of the project from August

2011 to June 2012 in the frame of EIDHR grant. Amendment on budget and narrative to submit to EIDHR by September 2011

2. Final achievement of the project objectives

3. Action Plan 2011 - 2012: Achievements of remaining indicators

4. Capitalization work on HIV group discussion in village and Mobile VCT activity

5. Support local partners for finding and negotiating with new potential donors for sustaining and scaling-up of the project achievements

6. Negotiation with HIB in Vietnam for a possible handover when HIB enters the Federation in mid 2012

Thank you for your attention!