07-C0901-Base: Tebelopele VCT Center Network.

This is the same Tebelopele activity narrative, using HHS/CDC Base funds.

Tebelopele VCT centers have increased the numbers of people tested and counseled from 89,000 in 2005 to over 100,000 in 2006. Their goal is to counsel and test 125,000 (75% of whom will be first-time testers) in 2007. Tebelopele will continue to provide high quality-VCT services through 35 service outlets throughout Botswana. This activity will increase the organization capacity and support 133 locally employed full time staff and a pool of 20 part-time counseling staff.

The staff will include 62 full time counselors, 20 part-time counselors, and other technical staff like lab technicians, scientific officers, nurses, community outreach technicians and management staff who are responsible for providing VCT services through a network of 16 freestanding centers, 15 satellite sites and 4 mobile caravans located throughout the country. These staff will also provide an array of post-test services to clients testing HIV positive and HIV negative, including on-going prevention counseling to discordant couples and other clients, youth prevention education, and referral services to other care and prevention programs throughout Botswana.

Strengthening Referral Linkages During FY06 Tebelopele VCT introduced a "stubbed" referral form as a means to track client referrals for treatment and other care and support services. During FY06 Tebelopele VCT will evaluate the effectiveness of the "stub-based" referral tracking system and will work with NACA, MOH, MLG and other partners to formalize referral networks. In order to track client referrals and implement post-test services, Tebelopele is undertaking transition from anonymous to confidential VCT delivery during FY07. Tebelopele VCT will also conduct a study tour to Kenya and Uganda with the MOH and BOCAIP to learn from these countries' transition from anonymous to confidential services. The American International Health Alliance Twinning Center will facilitate the twinning activity. The twinning process will be with 2 Kenyan and Ugandan organizations that have excelled in the areas of confidential post-test services, youth-friendly prevention education and counseling services, and CD4 cell screening.

Post Test Services Post-test activities will be scaled up to improve prevention and care both for positive and for negative VCT clients. Tebelopele VCT will focus their post-test services efforts on the following areas: ?Ongoing risk reduction counseling for those who test positive and negative, as well as for discordant couples. ?Partner counseling and testing. ?CD4 cell measurement, as a important component of Tebelopele's planned post-test services package. ?Referral to post-test services as needed.

Youth Prevention HIV Education and Counseling Services In FY06 Tebelopele piloted in-school interactive "edutainment" activities. These were the pillar of mobilization activities for a comprehensive Youth Against AIDS (YAA) life skills program. Post-pilot evaluation was carried out to inform the subsequent larger rollout of the program. The focus of the youth program is to provide youth (both in-school and out) with prevention education, and counseling and testing for those whose guardians/parents consent for them to test.

Tebelopele VCT works with the Ministry of Education (MOE), schools/institutions, FBOs, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and NGOs including BOCAIP, Hope Worldwide (HWW) Botswana, YWCA, Childline Botswana, Lifeline Botswana, Food Safe International, Botswana Baylor Children's Clinical Centre of Excellence and others to implement a comprehensive program. Other special partnerships include the business sector, which has sponsored a number of activities/events. In FY07 Tebelopele will strengthen and expand this program through youth-friendly centers (porta-campers at stand alone centers or at other youth-friendly locations). Lessons learned from the planned study tour in Uganda and Kenya will assist in improving program implementation.

Social Marketing To increase demand for and utilization of VCT, Tebelopele will strengthen social marketing activities through community-based events/activities organized and implemented in collaboration with local District Multi-sectoral AIDS Committees (DMSACs), Peace Corp Volunteers (PCVs), Humana People to People, community leaders and other stakeholders including out-of-school-youth groups. Community mobilization and education will be continued in collaboration with the above stakeholders. It is expected that 125,000 clients will receive VCT through these sites in FY07. Social marketing campaigns like "Put your Love to the Test", "Passport to Life" and "Test for Life" will be supported and scaled up. Populations to be targeted include couples, rural men and youth.

Sustainability Plan Tebelopele VCT will continue to implement the sustainability strategy that was developed with the assistance of AED during FY06. The key elements of this strategy are the diversification of funding sources and the diversification of services offered. An operational plan and budget which is consistent with the Tebelopele strategy will be developed. Tebelopele then plans to hold a donor meeting to present their plan and budget to potential donors.

The work of Tebelopele is consistent with the goals of the Botswana NSF and of the EP. The NSF calls for 95% of the population to know their HIV status by 2009. The work of Tebelopele will contribute to reduction of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, Tebelopele's advocacy will contribute to reduction of the legal age of consent for HIV testing from 21 to 16. Finally, in reaching out to remote areas and in collaborations with key players like the Mens Sector (Botswana Defense Forces and Botswana Prisons) and the Peace Corps, Tebelopele's activities will reduce the gender inequalities in HIV testing.

Sub partner activities Institute for Development Management (IDM) Since Tebelopele became an independent NGO in 2004, the collaboration with IDM has continued through sub-contracting with IDM to provide on-going training of and mentoring of counselors. During FY07, Tebelopele will subcontract with IDM to train Tebelopele staff in basic counseling and in the VCT protocol for same-day results.

In order to maintain high-quality service provision, Tebelopele VCT will continue to train all new VCT counselors on HCT as per the international standards that have been adopted by the MOH in Botswana. The IDM is the only accredited training institution for VCT protocol and HIV voluntary counseling and testing in the country. During FY07 funding period IDM will provide training to 18 VCT counselors (2 groups of 9) in HCT and to 14 VCT counselors (2 groups of 7) in VCT protocols.

Dialogue Group The Dialogue Group is Tebelopele's advertising agency. The Dialogue Group provides specialized design and production of Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials and media placement.

Tebelopele believes that collaboration with the Dialogue Group is a cost-effective solution to its IEC/advertising needs. As an advertising agency, the Dialogue Group takes advantage of economies of scale, and is given preferential rates for media placement and production due to the large volumes of space and production they undertake as an agency.

During FY07 The Dialogue Group will do the following as part of Tebelopele VCT social marketing strategy implementation: ?Broadcast media production and placement ?Print media production and placement ?Outdoor media production and placement ?Design and production of all Tebelopele VCT IEC materials