This activity has received funds redirected from MARCH cooperative agreements as follows: Addis Ababa University - 100000, and Federal Police - 62,500.

This activity is linked to the MARCH TA Other Prevention activities COP ID 10388 design and production of TA for MARCH and it also links with COP ID 10554 supporting AAU students with OP, improving HIV/AIDS/STI/TB prevention and care activities and 10575 Federal Police prevention activities. It also provides technical assistance to the existing Military, Police 10554 and AAU prevention activities.

CCP began providing TA to these CDC partners in FY06 to facilitate the successful implementation of the MARCH project among these three key audiences. Intensive HIV prevention activities among the military, police and university students are critical in the context of the low prevalence, generalized HIV epidemic in Ethiopia. These are highly mobile groups, frequently away from home. Targeted interventions to sub-groups most at risk are essential to stem the spread of the epidemic. Therefore, the sustained success of these programs is a crucial aspect of the national response.

MARCH is a behavior change communications (BCC) strategy that promotes the adoption of HIV prevention behaviors and encourages community members to care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and children whose parents have died of AIDS. Addressing stigma and discrimination towards PLWHA, tackling the existing gender imbalances and the removal of stigma and discrimination is expected to contribute to reduction of risky behaviors and also encourage a comprehensive care and support on the part of the community, promote better service uptake and most specifically - abstinence and faithfulness among army, police and AAU members. There are two main components to the program: Entertainment as a vehicle for education (long running serialized printed dramas portraying role models evolving toward the adoption of positive behaviors) and interpersonal reinforcement at the community level. Key to the edutainment component is the use of role models in the context of a storyline to provide information about change, to motivate the viewer, and to enhance a sense of self-efficacy. The second element involves reinforcing the message through interpersonal strategies like peer group discussions. Research shows that effective interventions are often personalized ones. The MARCH reinforcement activities try to personalize the behavior change intervention. The objective of the reinforcement activities include: applying message in the drama to their own lives, provide accurate information about HIV/AIDS and behavior change, provide an opportunity to practice new skills that may be required in avoiding infection and supporting those infected.

The project utilizes models that reflect the existing characteristics of the police that face similar barriers and facilitators of behavioral change. These models are part of a printed serial drama that is published every two weeks and distributed among the target populations. The reinforcement component utilizes activities such as discussion groups amongst peers and IEC materials that reinforce behavior change at the individual and societal levels. The discussions help peers to discuss the issues they come across in the serial drama and give them a sense of community support for behavior change.

CCP will continue to provide technical assistance and guidance to the partners during FY07 in the areas of planning and designing projects, monitoring activities, organizing trainings, and assisting the partners with material production including both the modeling materials/activities and re-enforcement materials/activities. CCP will provide the necessary training to the creative team and program staff for the three MARCH partners. The TA will also include the development high quality, research-based, IEC/BCC materials on relevant HIV/AIDS topics and to continually monitor and evaluate the produced IEC/BCC materials. During FY07, additional emphasis will be placed on building the capacity of each of the three partners and support to implement the program and focusing on ways that the program will be institutionalized within each organization.

As financial systems and bureaucratic process has been found to be the major barrier in the implementation of the MARCH project especially at FPC and AAU, budget has been redirected to JHU/CCP to facilitate the financial utilization.

100% of the budget (400,000) to MARCH TA to the three partners (AAU, FPC and NDFE). The areas of the TA will focus on: Formative Assessment, Development of Data Summary

Grid, Development of PSD, reinforcement activities, staff capacity building and M&E.

The redirected budget from AAU will be utilized for AAU MARCH project: (1)Conduct training to build the leadership skills of MARCH project creative team, program staff and additional reinforcement agents; (2)Provide assistance in the development, publication and distribution of the printed serial drama as well as other training curriculum for the university students; (3)Provide capacity support for AAU MARCH office in the establishment of liaison offices in every campus to implement MARCH program to full scale reaching a total of 30,000 regular students, 2000 summer students and 3000 academic and administrative staff members; and (4)Support in the production and distribution of target specific IEC materials to support an array of preventive activities on the campuses.

The redirected budget from FPC will be utilized for FPC MARCH Project: (1)Conduct training to build the leadership skills of MARCH project creative team, program staff and additional peer leaders ( (2)Building the organizational capacity of the Federal Police and Addis Ababa Police Commissions in implementing MARCH project; (3)Provide assistance in the development, publication and dissemination of printed serial drama and peer training manual for the police community; and (4)Support in the production and distribution of Police specific IEC materials augmenting the printed serial drama.

IEC/BCC Material Production This is a continuation of the existing AB activity, which will focus on the production of documentary film to bring about a tangible behavioral change through the use of the MARCH model. This activity is a cross-cutting and linked with other activities in care and treatment. The activity primarily address prevention and stigma reduction and will be linked closely with several outreach programs with interactive or interpersonal peer group elements, thus it will strengthen the overall country program. The documentary film will be linked to existing resources in the community and wherever possible, provide increase access to preventive service, supplies, and other supporting elements.

CDC Ethiopia in collaboration with Walta Information Center has produced three documentaries on "The Impact of HIV/AIDS related to stigma and Discrimination on women (Siwir Emba)", "The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Children (Yetila Sir Abeboch)" and "The situation of HIV/AIDS along the Ethio-Djibouti Corridor" to create awareness and bring about behavioral change regarding HIV/AIDS and the social, economic and physiological sufferings caused by HIV/AIDS.

In this line of development, the 2006 project has focused on production of additional three documentary films. The documentary films have focused on (1) the Prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Rural Ethiopia (2) Work place Intervention of HIV/AIDS, and (3) The Impact of Harmful Traditional Practices on HIV/AIDS. Various cross cutting areas and behavioral objectives will be targeted in the documentary films.

The documentary films are expected to provide additional BCC material for the various partners, including the military, the Federal Police Force and University Students. Thus, the impact of these documentary films will be strengthened through continued discussion groups (25,000 military, 1,000 Federal Police, and 3,500 in Addis Ababa University) in the three partner groups. Furthermore, approximately 1,000,000 members high risk groups residing in 25 major cities/towns (with population > 25,000), including commercial sex workers, truck drivers, in and out of school youth, are expected to benefit from the documentary films.

Thus, in COP 07 the already produced documentary films will be duplicated and distributed to reach the wider community through mobile promotion work using video show to the major regional towns and rural community and additional three films will also be produced and air on Ethiopia Television with the major objectives of addressing gender inequalities, stigma and discrimination, the rural and urban dynamic, the resulting rural epidemic, access to service, service up take, substance abuse (including alcohol and chat) in cities and small rural towns etc.

Moreover, this project will have focus in producing three set of various IEC materials including posters, leaflets, brochures and audio materials that will be distributed to reach the most at risk population and to increase the service up take for VCT, PMTCT and ART in urban and rural sites.

AIDS Resource Center (ARC) AB-focused Prevention This project is a continuing activity from FY 06 which is linked with two other activities in FY07 activity ID 10388, AIDS Resource Center-Other Prevention and AIDS Resource Center Other Policy Analysis/Systems Strengthening COP ID New 10422- and is designed to expand access to AB focused HIV/AIDS information and services by maximizing the relevance of the ARC's work and building the capacity of partners and HAPCO to implement IE/BCC activities.

The project has four interrelated components under AB. The first component works to provide accessible up-to-date and accurate information related to AB and service uptake to government and non-government partners, journalists and media professionals, health care providers, researchers and the general public. The second component focuses on strengthening and maintaining the ARC's premier virtual information center and library for HIV/AIDS informational resources. The third component of the project focuses on the production of high quality and culturally appropriate IE/BCC materials for service providers, as well as community and individuals targeting AB. Moreover; ARC will also strengthen the linkage with other prevention providers to maximally utilize the resource and reach a wider community. The fourth component of the project focuses on strengthening the expanded Wegen AIDS Talkline's capacity to respond to escalating demand and to provide accurate and valid information, referral and counseling services on AB in six local languages. In addition, caller data from the Talkline is used to analyze behavioral trends and support the development of effective IE/BCC materials as well as guide HIV/AIDS policies in the country.

The ARC directly supports and contributes to the PEPFAR program objectives, and the Ethiopian government's national response in many ways. The hotline receives 6,000 tall free calls per day from all regions of Ethiopia. The ARC library receives an average of 100 students, program implementers, government officials, and journalists per day seeking access to up-to-date HIV/AIDS information. The ARC has created a total of 52 distinct IE/BCC materials supporting the ART, VCT, PMTCT and prevention programs in the nation. The ARC will expand its capacity to provide these critical services in FY07. To achieve this, a mechanism to retain staffs will be designed, especially those working for the Hotline including making the contract at least for a year.

PLWHA Radio Diaries

This is a proposed new activity under the priority area "Involving PLWHA in Programs." This activity is a cross-cutting and linked with other activities in care and treatment. The activity primarily address prevention and stigma reduction and will be linked closely with several outreach programs with interactive or interpersonal peer group elements, thus it will strengthen the overall country program.

HIV thrives in a climate where people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) face blame, discrimination and stigma. Effective HIV and AIDS care and prevention depends on deep-seated social change within societies, which instead of socially isolating people with HIV allows their voices to be heard within their communities and beyond. In Ethiopia, HIV/AIDS continues to be a major problem, with research showing high levels of stigma and low perceptions of risk.

Evidence in other sub-Saharan African countries shows, that personal knowledge of someone with HIV/ AIDS is a major influencing factor in the increase of safer behaviors. Evidence also shows that people react personally to personal stories and make behavioral decisions based more on emotional grounds than on rational grounds. Furthermore, the closer a story relates to one's own circumstance and location, the more it resonates as true.

A PLWHA radio diary creates a personal relationship with thousands of people at the same time. It is the intimate personal story of a person-taking place over an extended period of time. The radio diary slowly draws the listener into the PLWHA's life and explores the present realities of the PLWHA's life. Such a program creates a space in which PLWHA can interact intimately with their community and thereby influence social norms towards a greater tolerance and support for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS.

CCP/ARC PLWHA diaries are short, intimate, and honest day-in-the-life stories self narrated by PLWHA. The diaries will be aired beginning September 2006 in three stations, namely Radio Fanna, FM Addis, and FM Awassa. In FY07, CCP proposes to expand the PLWHA Radio Diaries program into other regions, languages and stations to ensure that PLWHA issues raised in the diaries are regionally specific and that the experiences relayed to the intended audiences encompass the diversity of issues faced by all Ethiopians. Besides in order to reach peoples who do not have access for radio and are outside the coverage of the above specified radio stations there is also a plan to produce the diaries in audio cassette and distribute for the target along with discussion guild that will be produced to facilitate interpersonal communication. It will also create a forum for discussion on the diaries among peer groups and other population group like students, military people, HIV+ peoples, people who are taking ART etc

Objectives: (1)Influence social norms towards decreased stigma and greater tolerance of and support for PLWHA in rural and urban areas; (2)Increase and regionally diversify the number of diarists who share their experiences with Ethiopians; (3)Develop and guide the skills of a small group of PLWHA "diarists" to talk clearly, powerfully and analytically about their situation; (4)Develop and guide the skills of radio producers and their broadcasters to produce effective programming that responds to the priority health issues in their communities; (5)Create a space where the audience can have personal connection with the diarists as they share their experiences; and (6)Increase people's access to information, services and care relating to HIV/AIDS; and Increase public awareness and support of VCT, PMTCT, and ART.

Pre-test results show that the diaries are having the intended effect amongst the target audience as a woman in Addis Ababa put it:

"The story made me think about my own experience … I had given my daughter's hand in marriage at a very young age to a wealthy businessman…she was exposed to HIV and has passed away. I think stories like this should be heard especially in the rural areas." TA.

The activities are: Produce the radio diaries M&E

Design and Production TA for Modeling and Reinforcement to combat HIV/AIDS (MARCH)

This activity is linked to the MARCH TA Other Prevention activities COP ID 5777design and production of TA for MARCH and it also links with COP ID 5766 supporting AAU students with OP, 5635 improving HIV/AIDS/STI/TB prevention and care activities in the National Defense and 5632 Federal Police prevention activities.

JHU/CCP is providing technical support for all MARCH partners including National Defense Force of Ethiopia (NDFE), Addis Ababa University and Federal Police Commission. Budget from MARCH partners (except for the NDFE) has been re-directed to JHU/CCP to facilitate and enhance budget utilization. Accordingly, this activity has received funds redirected from MARCH cooperative agreements as follows: Addis Ababa University - 100000, and Federal Police - 62500.

CCP began providing TA to these CDC partners in FY06 to facilitate the successful implementation of the MARCH project among these three key audiences. Intensive HIV prevention activities among the military, police and university students are critical in the context of the low prevalence, generalized HIV epidemic in Ethiopia. These are highly mobile groups, frequently away from home. Targeted interventions to sub-groups most at risk are essential to stem the spread of the epidemic. Therefore, the sustained success of these programs is a crucial aspect of the national response.

MARCH is a behavior change communications (BCC) strategy that promotes the adoption of HIV prevention behaviors and encourages community members to care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and children whose parents have died of AIDS. Addressing stigma and discrimination towards PLWHA, tackling the existing gender imbalances and the removal of stigma and discrimination is expected to contribute to reduction of risky behaviors and also encourage a comprehensive care and support on the part of the community, promote better service uptake and most specifically - abstinence and faithfulness among army, police and AAU members. There are two main components to the program: Entertainment as a vehicle for education (long running serialized printed dramas portraying role models evolving toward the adoption of positive behaviors) and interpersonal reinforcement at the community level. Key to the edutainment component is the use of role models in the context of a storyline to provide information about change, to motivate the viewer, and to enhance a sense of self-efficacy. The second element involves reinforcing the message through interpersonal strategies like peer group discussions. Research shows that effective interventions are often personalized ones. The MARCH reinforcement activities try to personalize the behavior change intervention. The objective of the reinforcement activities include: applying message in the drama to their own lives, provide accurate information about HIV/AIDS and behavior change, provide an opportunity to practice new skills that may be required in avoiding infection and supporting those infected.

The project utilizes models that reflect the existing characteristics of the police that face similar barriers and facilitators of behavioral change. These models are part of a printed serial drama that is published every two weeks and distributed among the target populations. The reinforcement component utilizes activities such as discussion groups amongst peers and IEC materials that reinforce behavior change at the individual and societal levels. The discussions help peers to discuss the issues they come across in the serial drama and give them a sense of community support for behavior change.

CCP will continue to provide technical assistance and guidance to the partners during FY07 in the areas of planning and designing projects, monitoring activities, organizing trainings, and assisting the partners with material production including both the modeling materials/activities and re-enforcement materials/activities. CCP will provide the necessary training to the creative team and program staff for the three MARCH partners. The TA will also include the development high quality, research-based, IEC/BCC materials on relevant HIV/AIDS topics and to continually monitor and evaluate the produced IEC/BCC materials. During FY07, additional emphasis will be placed on building the capacity of each of the three partners and support to implement the program and focusing on ways that the program will be institutionalized within each organization.

As financial systems and bureaucratic process has been found to be the major barrier in

the implementation of the MARCH project especially at FPC and AAU, budget has been redirected to JHU/CCP to facilitate the financial utilization.

AIDS Resource Center (ARC) Other Prevention

This project is linked with two others in COP07 - AIDS Resource Center-AB (10592) and AIDS Resource Center - Other Policy Analysis 10422 /Systems Strengthening- and is designed to expand access to non-AB focused HIV/AIDS information and services by maximizing the relevance of the ARC's work and capacity building of partners and HAPCO to implement IE/BCC activities.

The project has four interrelated components under OP. The first component provides accessible up-to-date and accurate information related to OP and service uptake to government and non-government partners, journalists and media professionals, health care providers, researchers and the general public. The second component focuses on strengthening and maintaining the ARC's premier virtual information center and library for HIV/AIDS information resources. The third component focuses on production of high quality and culturally appropriate IE/BCC materials for service providers, as well as community and individuals targeting OP. Moreover, ARC will also strengthen linkages with other prevention providers to utilize the resource fully and reach a wider community. The fourth component focuses on strengthening the expanded Wegen AIDS Talkline's capacity to respond to escalating demand and to provide accurate and valid information, referral and counseling services on OP in six local languages. In addition, caller data from the talkline is used to analyze behavioral trends and support development of effective IE/BCC materials as well as guide HIV/AIDS policy in Ethiopia.

The AIDS Resource Center also operates an interactive website, clearinghouse and IT training facility. These components are being submitted under the Other/Policy analysis and Systems Strengthening program area.

The ARC directly supports and contributes to the PEPFAR program objectives, and to the Government of Ethiopia national response in many ways. The hotline receives 6,000 calls per day from all regions of Ethiopia. The ARC library receives an average of 100 students, program implementers, government officials, and journalists daily seeking access to up-to-date HIV/AIDS information. The ARC has created a total of 52 distinct IE/BCC materials supporting the ART, VCT, PMTCT and prevention programs. The ARC will expand its capacity to provide these critical services in FY07.

PLUS UP FUNDING:Regional Expansion - CCP/ARC will expand ARC regional coverage to four towns in the Amhara and Oromia regions and strengthen existing regional ARCs; Gondor, Dessie, Nekemt and Jimma are the new sites. Specifically, CCP/ARC will: 1) Provide administrative support to manage the expansion; 2) Conduct community outreach efforts through the regional ARCs to increase linkages with community and target audience populations; 3) Disseminate large quantities of HIV/AIDS BCC materials to the new ARCs as well as community partners; 4) Conduct HIV/AIDS trainings and peer education sessions at selected resource centers for youth association members and other HIV prevention partners; and 5) Increase the quality of and strengthen linkages between the national and regional ARCs. These additional activities will contribute to in-country system strengthening as well as to the continued establishment of centers that will provide high quality, accurate HIV/AIDS information and engage community members in on-going BCC activities.

Added July 2007 Reprogramming: Regional Expansion - CCP/ARC will expand ARC regional coverage to four towns in the Amhara and Oromia regions and strengthen existing regional ARCs; Gondor, Dessie, Nekemt and Jimma are the new sites. Specifically, CCP/ARC will: 1) Provide administrative support to manage the expansion; 2) Conduct community outreach efforts through the regional ARCs to increase linkages with community and target audience populations; 3) Disseminate large quantities of HIV/AIDS BCC materials to the new ARCs as well as community partners; 4) Conduct HIV/AIDS trainings and peer education sessions at selected resource centers for youth association members and other HIV prevention partners; and 5) Increase the quality of and strengthen linkages between the national and regional ARCs. These additional activities will contribute to in-country system strengthening as well as to the continued establishment of centers that will provide high quality, accurate HIV/AIDS information and engage community members in on-going BCC activities.

Creating Demand for Counseling and Testing through Promotional Activity

This is a new activity for COP 07 and linked to activities COP ID new 1075, 1084 (Policy, Analysis, and system Strengthening) and 5617, 5773 (AB)

Voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT) is a relatively new concept in Ethiopia, and has been largely under-utilized by the population to date. According to HAPCO, there are a total of 658 locations providing the service in the country as of 2005. Services are continuing to expand with the implementation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In light of the fact that service availability has been expanded, it is important now that demand for and utilization of VCT by the general public continue to be increased.

Since inception, CCP/ARC has undertaken activities geared towards not only empowering people to access VCT services but also targeting service providers to strive towards the provision of quality VCT services. For example, CCP/ARC produced print and multimedia materials that encouraged the use of VCT services and provided service providers with VCT communication materials to use in health facilities. CCP/ARC has also conducted two national VCT Day campaigns for the promotion of VCT in collaboration with partners. CCP/ARC played a major role in the establishment of the National VCT Day which is observed annually in Ethiopia on the eve of the Ethiopian New Year. As more people and organizations participate in the observance of VCT Day, this will ensure an increase in the use of VCT services and also in efforts to increase the quality of VCT services.

In FY 2007, CCP/ARC plans to intensify its VCT promotion activities two approaches: 1) Via implementation of VCT Day 2007 with local and international partners, and 2) through the development of a long term VCT BCC campaign aimed at increasing the quality of VCT services.

For VCT Day 2007, CCP/ARC will continue to provide support to HAPCO and partners in organizing the national VCT Day. CCP/ARC will take the lead in producing all campaign materials (posters, flyers, radio/TV spots, newspaper ads), create web pages, organize and coordinate media coverage, and facilitate and provide information through its Wegen Talkline and future Warm-line for service providers. The longer term VCT campaign will serve as an important entry point in HIV prevention and for early access to treatment, care and support. In this regard, CCP/ARC will promote both Client Initiated VCT and Provider Initiated Counseling and Testing services to create demand and reduce stigma against people living with HIV/AIDS. The campaign will use both traditional and modern channels; develop region specific messages for promotion of services; support annual HIV testing campaigns; take a lead in the development of a VCT communication strategy; and support in development of national HIV Counseling and Testing themes and logo. JHU CCP plans to reach 7-9 million people throughout the country with HIV counseling and testing promotional message.

User Support Center for ART Service Outlets

This is an ongoing activity. The partner is on track according to the original targets and workplan and the partner has received 100% funding in FY06 to undertake this activity. Under this activity ARC designed and developed the call center system which provides services to 89 ART service outlets and hospitals.

In FY07 this activity will support the expansion of "call center" services to 131 ART hospitals and 393 health centers selected to provide ART services. Based on commercial "call center" software, it would allow service outlets such as hospitals, clinics, or other service facilities, to access technical support at a single point, either by telephone or email. The system would route the request to the appropriate organization/person for resolution. In addition to providing an efficient means for service providers to receive support, this system would also allow PEPFAR Ethiopia to track accurately issues that arise during the rapid scale-up process and use this information to promote the development and implementation of the ART service delivery model. The main objective of the support center will be to provide quick response to problems encountered by health care providers. This system would benefit the health sector by improving access to information, reducing cost of transporting health care providers for workshop and trainings, and reduce patient costs by avoiding the need for a referral.

The call center addresses an urgent need of treatment and care providers by providing immediate responses to problems and constraints encountered while providing ART services. There have been frequent calls in all direction in the last two years, particularly after January 2004, when the free ART program was launched. Sometimes providers have not been able to get a response as calls have not always reached the appropriate target or source of information and there has been some frustration as a result. Creation of a user-friendly center, that will adequately overcome such problems, will support the PEPFAR implementation activities. In FY07, the call center will be upgraded in terms of hardware, software and human resource to accommodate all PEPFAR supported ART hospitals as well as all health centers selected for ART provision. This activity will also support web site development for knowledge and information sharing as well as piloting teleconferencing technology using existing infrastructure among service outlets and the call center.

In COP07, PEPFAR Ethiopia expects the following activities will be undertaken: (1) deliver services to an additional 131 hospitals and 393 health centers; (2) provide telephone and e-mail consultation; (3) provide training to health care provider and other staff; (4) pilot teleconferencing and video conferencing system between the call center and selected service outlets; (5) generate knowledgebase on the information gathered; (6) produce easily accessible online and offline (such as CD-ROM) which will be utilized by service providers; (7) produce and disseminate materials (on PMTCT, VCT and ART) to fill the information gap for health care providers based on the knowledgebase including public consumable website content from the knowledgebase; and (8) document cases with digital images, audios and videos for research and other purposes.

None provided.

Table 3.3.11:

AIDS Resource Center (ARC) IT and Clearinghouse Systems Strengthening

This project is linked with two others activities in COP07 - AIDS Resource Center- Abstinence/Be Faithful and AIDS Resource Center-Other Prevention - and is designed to expand access to HIV/AIDS information and services by strengthening the ARC's existing systems and through building the capacity of partners and the national and regional HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Offices to conduct HIV/AIDS programming. These activities were originally submitted under the program areas HVAB and HVOP.

This activity has three interrelated components. The first focuses on strengthening and maintaining the highest quality of a multi-target interactive website, to increase its popularity as part of the ARC's premier virtual information center for HIV/AIDS resources - - including access to AIDS in Ethiopia online database, as well as PLWHA and youth-specific websites.

The website serves the national and regional HAPCO by posting policies and guidelines, data and IE/BCC materials focused on international and Ethiopia-specific HIV/AIDS issues. The website aims to increase the provision of information through the ARC's listerv on specific programmatic and thematic areas such as ART, VCT, and PMTCT.

The second component is ongoing IT support to the national HAPCO and regional HAPCO, including internet and email access, system administration and maintenance, and basic IT trainings.

The third component aims to strengthen the clearinghouse function of the ARC by providing HIV/AIDS, VCT, PMTCT, ART, STI and TB materials (print, electronic and audiovisual) to all PEPFAR Ethiopia supported sites as well as NGO working in HIV/AIDS.

The ARC directly supports and contributes to PEPFAR Ethiopia's objectives and the government's priorities in many ways. The website receives 55,000 hits per month from a wide spectrum of audiences. On average, the clearinghouse distributes 6,830 print and audiovisual HIV related materials per month to organizations throughout the country. The ARC will expand its capacity to provide these critical services in FY07.

Assisting HAPCO with World AIDS Day

This is a new activity.

World AIDS Day (WAD) is marked every year in Ethiopia. WAD provides an opportunity to celebrate and publicly share successes and achievements in the battle against AIDS and to recognize the global and national impact of the epidemic.

JHU/CCP and the AIDS Resource Center (CCP/ARC), supported by PEPFAR Ethiopia, serves as an active member of the World AIDS Day Campaign and provides technical and financial support in conducting the campaign in Ethiopia by developing messages and producing campaign materials (posters, flyers, t-shirts, banners, billboards, press kits, press alert, web page, video and radio PSAs, documentaries, feature stories).

CCP/ARC will coordinate the support of all of PEPFAR Ethiopia's implementing partners for WAD, and will also give direct technical assistance to Federal HAPCO to conduct an effective campaign.

Support to Regional AIDS Resource Centers

This is a new proposed activity under the priority area of "Offering Site Level Support."

In recognition of the significant contribution that the ARC continues to make in the fight against HIV/AIDS, HAPCO, in collaboration with PEPFAR Ethiopia as its implementing partner, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Program (JHU/CCP), is proceeding with the scaling up of satellite ARC in the regions. Regional HAPCO have been closely involved in the planning and implementation of the activities. Significant headway is being made in the establishment of ARC in several regions. Currently, regional ARC are up and operating in Oromia, Assosa, Mekele, Dire Dawa and Bahir Dar. ARC is in the process of establishing a VSAT system for the Afar regional ARC.

Given the diversity of culture, language and demographic characteristics within the regions, the regional ARC will be filling a much-needed information gap. By expanding to the regions, the ARC will be able to directly support regional governments, NGO, FBO, media and the public, similar to the way the national ARC serves the national government program, organizations, and the public in Addis. ARC will undertake the following activities in FY07: (1) providing access to accurate and up-to-date information on HIV/AIDS, STI, and TB; (2) providing access to the Internet through high-speed computer terminals for users to conduct research on current health and HIV/AIDS related issues; (3) supporting HIV/AIDS related projects and activities of the regional HAPCO, RHB, and PEPFAR Ethiopia implementing partners; (4) supporting the development of culturally appropriate IE/BCC material specific to the regions population; (5) expanding the information dissemination activities by facilitating outreach and distribution planning in the regions; and (6) promoting the use of other ARC functions such as the National AIDS Talk line in the regions.

In each region, the ARC will be integrated into the regional HAPCO, where regional staff will receive orientation, training, and ongoing technical support from the national ARC. As is presently the case with existing regional ARC, the regional HAPCO will be responsible for managing them, funding procurement of equipment and supplying needed operational materials.

The regional ARC will house comprehensive multimedia materials on HIV/AIDS and other health-related issues that will support and enhance the efficiency, quality and speed of work of implementers of HIV/AIDS programs and activities in their respective regions.

Recently, the national HAPCO and PEPFAR Ethiopia delineated the roles and responsibilities of the ARC and the regional HAPCO. Accordingly, the ARC will continue to provide technical assistance and support to all regional ARC. Specifically, this will include: (1) coordination and oversight of technical activities; (2) assistance in acquisition and dissemination of HIV/AIDS, STI, and TB related print and audio visual materials; (3) establishment of LAN and Wide Area Network for Harari, Somali, Gamble and Addis Ababa; (4) development of a website and database; (5) training staff; (6) equipment procurement support; (7) advanced technical support on IT and center operations; (8) provision of Internet and email services; and (9) maintenance of the IT infrastructure.

Added July 2007 Reprogramming: Regional Expansion - CCP/ARC will expand ARC regional coverage to four towns in the Amhara and Oromia regions and strengthen existing regional ARCs; Gondor, Dessie, Nekemt and Jimma are the new sites. Specifically, CCP/ARC will: 1) Provide administrative support to manage the expansion; 2) Conduct community outreach efforts through the regional ARCs to increase linkages with community and target audience populations; 3) Disseminate large quantities of HIV/AIDS BCC materials to the new ARCs as well as community partners; 4) Conduct HIV/AIDS trainings and peer education sessions at selected resource centers for youth association members and other HIV prevention partners; and 5) Increase the quality of and strengthen linkages between the national and regional ARCs. These additional activities will contribute to in-country system strengthening as well as to the continued establishment of centers that will provide high quality, accurate HIV/AIDS information and engage community members in on-going BCC activities.