The Church’s Response to the Scaling up of HIV Prevention

and Care in Liberia Experience of The Lutheran Church in

LiberiaHIV AND AIDS PROGRAMME

PRESENTED BYSTEVEN Z. KORVAH, JR.PROGRAMME OFFICER

MAP OF LIBERIA

PURPOSE

Provide a thorough information on the intervention of the an HIV and AIDS Programme in the Church;

Share experiences and lessons learnt from the intervention of the Lutheran Church in Liberia;

In 2003: 8.2% (NACP, 2003)

In 2007: 5.7% (2006 ANC Sentinel surveillance Report, NACP, 2007)

In 2007: 1.5% - 2.5%(Urban) and 0.8%

(Rural): LISGIS,2007

PREVALENCE

PREVALENCEcont’d

Population of 3.4m; LISGIS 2008 Census Report

About 64% poverty rate (live on less than 1USD/day; LISGIS, 2009; Census Report)

Goal To contribute to the National

AIDS Control Program's goal, which aims to promote a positive change of behaviour and reduce the psychosocial impact of HIV and AIDS on the individual and the society.

Sub-goals To mobilize grassroots communities

for a holistic community–based response to HIV and AIDS

To prevent the spread of HIV and

AIDS through behaviour change especially among young people

Sub-goals cont’d

To improve the quality of life of people living with HIV through empowerment and creating an environment of care and support

To improve the institutional capacity of the LCL AIDS Programme to deliver on the above objectives

Beneficiaries

People living with HIV (PLHIV) and their families

Orphans Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) Trained Traditional Midwives (TTMs) Zoes (Hard-to-reach grassroots

population)

Beneficiaries cont’d

Health workers Religious leaders (pastors,

evangelists, deacons, imams, etc.) Military and Para-military personnel Teachers and students Out-of-school youths

Beneficiaries cont’d

Mobile population (Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees),

Faith Based Organizations (FBOs),

Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and networks, etc.

Activities/Interventions

Counselors’ Training

Activities/Interventions cont’d

Establishment of Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers

Meeting of Counselors

Activities/Interventions cont’d

Community based Support Group

Family Support Group

Support Group training Community Outreach

Activities/Interventions cont’d

Orphan Support

Activities/Interventions cont’d

Training and Community Involvement

Students Health & Social Workers

Trained Traditional Midwives, Traditional Birth Attendants and Zoes

Male Zoes

PLHIV Empowerment

Income Generation Activity

Skill Training Graduate – Computer operation

Activities/Interventions cont’d Partnership (WFP, UNHCR, LISGIS

Challenges Bad roads condition for travels

Relationship between Awareness and Behaviour Change in the Past

Knowledge/Information

Behaviour change

Attitudes

“The difficulty lies not in new ideas, but in escaping the old.”

John M. Keynes

Experiences and Lessons Learnt

Mobile clinic gives access to HIV counseling and testing to hard to reach or inaccessible communities (i.e. communities lack access to health care services);

Experiences and Lessons Learnt cont’d

Condom distribution with proper and adequate information promote behavior change especially amongst young people; thus reducing the occurrence of sexually transmitted infections;

Experiences and Lessons Learnt cont’d

Involvement of community residents in HIV & AIDS related activities facilitate universal access for all and ownership.

Involvement of PLHIV in all aspects means there is less distinction between those providing the services and the beneficiaries irrespective of their HIV status. This is a gateway to inclusion in the workforce;

Experiences and Lessons Learnt cont’d

Empowerment of people living with HIV (PLHIV) with knowledge and skills in financial management and planning before engaging in income generating activities enhances productivity and thus leads to self-reliance and good decision making in emergency situation;

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL

Steven Z. Korvah, Jr.LCL HIV & AIDS PROGRAMME-

Liberia