PC/Swaziland projects in FY12 will include the following cross-cutting areas: Education, Gender, Food and Nutrition, Economic Strengthening, Human Resources for Health, Water and Construction/Renovation. Most small VAST grant projects focus heavily on one of these areas but it is common that projects include multiple cross-cutting areas in each project. Additionally, Volunteers do include key issues such as comprehensive health issues and gender into projects. In the past, Volunteers have utilized VAST grants to implement girls empowerment camps, train peer educators in prevention, organize prevention and anti-stigma community dialogues, and train caregivers in psychosocial support techniques. They also work with school teachers and guidance counselors to teach life skills to youth and to improve the quality of education and other support services to OVC. Volunteers have conducted workshops for community members introducing business and vocational skills such as animal husbandry. These projects have sometimes included small renovations to existing structures to support garden projects. Volunteer projects are often aimed at strengthening the ability of families and caregivers to meet OVC and PLHA needs and therefore include supplemental information and trainings about general health issues (such as TB and (PMTCT). Volunteers address HRH by collaborating with other partners to provide in-service training for community-based Kagogo Clerks and other NGO/CBO service providers. Volunteers also work with community partners to reduce violence and coercion through interpersonal communication and community mobilization aimed at empowering female youth and mothers and promoting men as partners.

Approximately 85 Volunteers and their community counterparts, who receive PEPFAR-funded pre- and in-service training, support service providers and organizations in designing and implementing care programs for PLHA, OVCs and their caretakers in the underserved rural communities and schools of Swaziland. PC/Swaziland promotes the use of evidence-based programs to respond to community needs for a variety of services to mitigate the effects of HIV, improve health outcomes for HIV positives, improve the developmental growth of OVCs, improve household nutritional status and optimize the quality of life of adults and children living with and affected by HIV. Volunteers and their counterparts prioritize community support and coordination, and family/household strengthening by working within existing community-level structures, such as schools, churches, Neighborhood Care Points and KaGogo Social Centres. Activities focus on male and female vulnerable children (<17 years) and their caregivers, and include forming and strengthening psycho-social support groups, conducting health and HIV education, developing life skills, supporting economic strengthening activities among young people, and bringing mobile resources and services to the community. More specifically, Volunteers train vulnerable children in nutrition, decision making, peer support, forming positive relationships, good study habits, and more. Psychosocial support includes assisting vulnerable children and caregivers with coaching to manage grief and loss, training on stigma reduction, and partnerships with churches and other support organizations to meet spiritual and social needs. To assist with economic strengthening, Volunteers help OVC or caregivers to begin or enhance small-income generation activities to support themselves, such as production of household cleaning products, crafts, garden produce, or other items which fit the local market.

**Not Provided**

Approximately 85 Peace Corps Volunteers and their community counterparts, who receive PEPFAR-funded pre- and in-service training, implement HIV prevention activities focused on promoting abstinence and being faithful in underserved rural areas of Swaziland. PC Volunteers work with communities to design and implement context-appropriate prevention interventions addressing the keys drivers of the epidemic, including sexual and behavioral risk and harmful gender/cultural norms.

Given Swazilands generalized epidemic, with multiple concurrent sexual partners as one of the key drivers, these activities target behavior change among male and female youth under age 25, including in- and out-of-school youth, and other vulnerable children, and male and female adults. PC/Swaziland promotes behavior change through use of evidence-based programs and integration of efforts of other USG agencies and implementing partners. Programs typically include a cross-cutting focus on reduction of stigma and discrimination. Volunteers and their counterparts also engage religious leaders and church goers in activities emphasizing faithfulness as well as acceptance and support of PLHA. Through simple daily interactions and more structured training programs, Volunteers train and provide technical support to community-based service providers to enhance their ability to deliver AB messages. Volunteers address gender inequality and male norms by promoting girls' and womens empowerment among the most disenfranchised rural females, as well as promoting men-as-partners among males. Volunteers collaborate with local labor and workplace programs to provide prevention training to employees such as teachers, clerks, and field workers. Volunteers activities include youth camps, trainings, public-awareness events, school health clubs, and mentoring programs.

PC/Swaziland uses PEPFAR funds for small community-initiated AB-focused activities through the small VAST grant projects.

Approximately 85 Peace Corps Volunteers and their community counterparts, who receive PEPFAR-funded pre- and in-service training, implement HIV prevention activities focused on promoting the use of condoms and other prevention (C/OP) in the underserved rural areas of Swaziland. Volunteers and their community counterparts promote behavior change, emphasizing the correct and consistent use of condoms, HIV testing, and STI management among males and females ages 15-24. These activities support other PEPFAR-partners promotion of male circumcision. Activities for both males and females include one-on-one mentoring, small group trainings, public-awareness events, and distribution of materials. Venues to reach these audiences include Kagogo Social Centres, clinics, churches, local shops, youth centres, factories and other places of employment. PC/Swaziland will use PEPFAR funds for small community-initiated C/OP-focused activities through small VAST grant projects. VAST grants support peer educator programs and activities of Rural Health Motivators and other community partners enaged in promoting C/OP messages. In addition, VAST grants fund activities that address public norms regarding sexual coercion and promoting the role of parents and other protective influences. Activities include public demonstrations or awareness campaigns, small training events, one-on-one teaching, or other meaningful techniques to engage the audience. Volunteers live in their communties and work closely with their counterparts for two years. Volunteers and their counterparts receive training in monitoring and evaluation and report results to Peace Corps and local partners. PC/Swaziland staff oversee the work of the Volunteers, provide technical assistance as needed, and collaborate with other PEPFAR-funded partners to assure the quality of its interventions.