I CHOOSE LIFE AFRICA

AN AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES PEER EDUCATION BEHAVIOUR

CHANGE PROGRAM

BACKGROUND

I Choose Life – Africa is the leading Behavior change program in the universities in Kenya today. The program was launched in 2002 by the Ministry of Health and recommended to all the universities by the Commission of Higher Education in 2003.

PROGRAM LOCATION

• We are currently operating in 7 institutions of Higher Learning

University of NairobiKenyatta UniversityDaystar UniversityMoi UniversityMaseno University Egerton UniversityCooperative College of Kenya

Rolling out to Uganda and Côte d’ivoire in 2007

OUR VISION

AN AIDS FREE AFRICA

To contribute to the goal of the KNASP 2005/6 – 2009/10 plan to reduce the spread of HIV, improve the quality of life of those infected and affected, and mitigate the socio-economic impact of the epidemic in Kenya, with emphasis on the youth.

OUR GOAL

Peer education as an entry point to Care and

Support

CATHERINE THEURIPROGRAMME COORDINATORCARE AND SUPPORT DEPT.

I CHOOSE LIFE - AFRICA

PRESENTED BY:

The Peer Education Training is an 8-week program on HIV and AIDS. Topics include: Sexual Responsibility, STIs, VCT, Living with and Management of HIV, Home-based Care, Culture and sexuality, consistent and correct use of condoms among others.

TRAINING OF PEER EDUCATORS

After the Peer Education Program, is a Life Skills Training program, to help the peer educators to practically apply what they have learnt as peer educators

LIFE SKILLS TRAINING

Life Skills Training (Cont’D)

• Topics include:-The Bridge Model: How Do We Build a Bridge From

Information to Behavior Change?Peer Educators: Roles And Responsibilities Of A Peer

EducatorLeadership skillsCounseling SkillsCommunication Skills Negotiation skillsAssertive SkillsSelf-Esteem Building: Do We Have Self-Esteem?

Behavior Change Communication Groups (BCCGs)

• The peer educators then form small behavior change communication groups.

• Two peer educators team up, and recruit other students who have not been through the training, and pass on the same HIV and AIDS messages using interest activities as the base e.g Salsa, sports, drama etc.

THE CARE AND THE CARE AND SUPPORT SUPPORT PROGRAMPROGRAM

SERVICES OFFERED AT ICL CARE & SUPPORT DEPT

1. POST-TEST COUNSELING2. BASELINE HIV TESTS

• CD4 COUNT• FULL BLOOD COUNT• ALT-LIVER FUNCTION TEST• CREATININE LEVELS

3. NUTRITION COUNSELING4. ADHERENCE COUNSELING5. ARVs6. GROUP THERAPY

Role of the peer educators in care and support

We use the peer educators to reach out to their fellow students and form support groups in the form of BCCGs, around Care and Support issues.

Role of the peer educators in care and support

We have two types of post test groups:

• Post-Test Clubs (PTCS)– these are groups made of students who are either HIV infected or closely affected i.e. it is a mixed sero-status group.

• Support Groups – These are groups made of strictly HIV positive students.

Role of the peer educators in care and support

Currently we have Post-test Clubs (PTCs) in all the universities that ICL has a program in.

Role of the peer educators in care and support

The core business of these clubs is to help fight stigma and discrimination in the university. This they mainly do through messaging.

Role of the peer educators in care and support

We also have two support groups of HIV positive students based at the University of Nairobi. These too are led by our peer educators.

KEY KEY ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES

1.) To minimize levels of stigma & discrimination against PLHIVs.

This is mainly done through the Post-Test Clubs. They meet weekly and carry out discussions and trainings. They also organize activities such as community service, movie nights, and concerts where they pass on anti-stigma messages.

2.) To increase access to holistic care and support for HIV positive students.

Medical Support – This is offered to HIV positive students using a networking system with organizations such as Aids Care Treatment Services at Kenyatta National Hospital and Liverpool VCT, Care and treatment.

3.) To provide psychosocial support to those infected and affected by HIV.

Psychosocial support to those infected or affected by HIV and AIDS –using group therapy through post test clubs (made of peers who are either closely affected or infected), and support groups of peers who are HIV positive. ICL also provides individual counseling .

4. To strengthen partnerships, referral networks and linkages

ICL seeks to strengthen networks and linkages - Some of the main links have been:•MESA – the medical students body at UoN.•The Integrated Counseling and Education centre (ICE) at UoN.•Kenyatta National Hospital – The CCC•Liverpool VCT, Care and Treatment.•AIDS Care Treatment Services (ACTS).

LESSONS LEARNT

1. The peer educators reach their hurting peers easily as they know how to best to communicate with them.

2. The peer educators are well informed with the facts on HIV and AIDS, and are able to help their fellow peers deal with myths and misconceptions.

3. The peer educators have the knowledge to lead post-test support groups, and know who to get as resource people to tackle issues that they themselves cannot handle.

4. The peer educators easily identify with the fears that their peers are facing and are better able to empathize with them.

LESSONS LEARNT (Cont’d)

5. Support groups led by peer educators grow much faster as the students feel ‘safer’, better understood, and they take ownership of the group. They feel that they can discuss issues at par.

6. Having strong linkages with organizations that compliment services offered helps to cut down on costs, and keep focus on the organization’s core business.

LESSONS LEARNT (Cont’d)

1. Peer educators need to be empowered and supported to reach out to their peers and provide support to them.

2. Youth friendly service providers need to be identified, and a directory put together for the peer educators to use to refer their peers.

RECOMMENDATIONS

3. An information sheet on organizations that provide different support structures for the HIV positive youth needs to be put together, so that the youth know where to go for certain services e.g. nutrition, ARVs, family planning etc.

4. There is need to develop information packs that are relevant to the peer group, easily portable,, and informative on related issues.

RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont’d)

5. It is important to let the peer educators participate in the putting together of the different IEC material as they know what will best communicate to their peers.

6. The peer educators need to constantly have refresher courses to update their information, as well as receive training in other relevant skills such as event management skills and general management skills for efficiency.

RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont’d)

In the area of Care and support where confidentiality is very key, the students seem to identify better with their peers that have gone through similar experiences. The peer educators understand their peers better than anyone else because they experience similar issues and challenges in life. Therefore, when well trained, Peer educators can be extremely effective.

CONCLUSION

UFUNGAMANO HOUSE4TH FLOOR – RM 402TEL: 2730913/4/5CELL: 0724 255 822 0734 333 266

Website www.ichooselife.or.ke Email: info@ichooselife.or.keContact person: Cathy or Flo

OUR CONTACTS