HIV prevention program at CRS has 6 years experience in providing behavior change intervention to the youth in and out of school, the general population including married couples and health professionals. The project is build upon CRS and partners' experience, structures and activities of the Abstinence and Be Faithful (AB) Track 1.0 projects, and care and support for PLWHA and OVC programming. Under COP10 funding, the HIVAB program will continue to work featuring the promotion of abstinence, mutual fidelity, prevention of mother-to-child transmission; Reducing misconceptions and stigma and discrimination also leads to use of HIV related services and better care and support for the PLWHA and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The project will also continue to support activities that promote a critical reflection on the social norms and gender dynamics that influence individual decision-making. that has long been a hallmark of CRS HIV/AIDS programming in partnership with the Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat and the Addis Ababa Archdioceses, and involve The Ethiopia Inter-Faith Forum for Development Dialogue and Action (EIFDDA), the Network of Networks of HIV Positives in Ethiopia (NEP+), HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Offices (HAPCO), the Health Extension and Education Center (HEEC-Ministry of Health), as well as the line ministries of the Government of Ethiopia. In COP10, HIVAB program will build on the successful experience in its first year of program implementation in the two most underserved regions for HIV/AIDS awareness and services, namely Gambela and Benshangul-Gumuz regions. It will continue to serve the 15 and above years old of the 62% population.

The Goal- the impact of HIV is mitigated in two regions in Ethiopia.

Strategic objectives- HIV incidence is reduced in target population; PLHIV access care, treatment and support; Indigenous organization have capacity to support and carry out HIV programming; HIV related stigma and discrimination is reduced.

Strategies I. Social Marketing and Community Mobilization: Based on it experience in the first year, the project will continue to develop and strengthen a series of social marketing campaigns featuring safe behaviors that reduce the risk of HIV transmission, increase demand for HCT and ART services, as well as reduce stigma surrounding accessing HIV care and treatment services. To enhance community ownership, the social marketing campaigns will be complemented by social and community mobilization activities using tools that have already been used successfully by CRS and its partners in Ethiopia.

II. Community Organizations: in COP 10, the HIVAB project will train 600 lay outreach volunteers in 10 Catholic parishes in The Faithful House. These volunteers, mostly married couples, will reach out at least 10 other couples of all faiths with messages and advice on how to build a strong marriage and maintain fidelity. Government line ministries and extension workers in all targeted woredas, who have already been trained in Community Action Cycle, will experience the learning and action module We Stop AIDS and make action plans for reaching out. In COP 10 the project will work with local CBOs, such as Idirs (funeral savings societies), using We Stop AIDS. It will also offer 27 schools with students, staff and some parents with training on In Charge! The project will continues to organize school Anti-AIDS clubs, and offer the life skills training course Youth Action Kit to members of Anti-AIDS clubs, reaching over 8,112 students and adults directly, and 102,600 youth (including out-of-school) and adults indirectly through events and secondary contacts. III. Health Services: The findings of the formative research to assess gaps in VCT, PMTCT, TB and STI services and ART adherence done in COP09 will be shared with the Ministry of Health at the woreda level, in order to determine the types of training needs. In COP10 234 health workers will be trained on these services and stigma reduction. IV .Mass Media: The project will initiate working with the Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency at Federal level, and mass media agencies in both regions. The messages will be half-minute spots, radio dramas and talk shows which focus on four main topics: 1) HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention, including prevention for positives; 2) Stigma and discrimination including legal protection; 3) Care and support of PLWHA and OVC; and 4) ART Adherence, VCT, PMTCT, TB, STIs and use of services.

Strategic Information

HIVAB strategic information (SI) activities incorporate program level reporting and setting up of both paper-based and computerized Management Information Systems (MIS) for HIVAB supported activities. HIVAB sites will integrate into the National strategic information framework that is promoted and supported by the Ethiopian and US governments. Data collected by the project sites will be used for informed programmatic decision making at various levels.

Monitoring:. Monitoring system design will incorporate mechanisms to facilitate disaggregation of output and results data on the basis of gender. Partners will use data collection tools and reporting formats developed in consultation with CRS. In addition periodic monitoring visits involving interviewing of target groups, small questionnaire surveys, and direct observation will be used as sources of information. The information will be analysed on a quarterly basis and will be presented to CDC and the concerned GOE offices.

Transition: CRS Ethiopia has developed its transition strategy from the onset of the program.. In COP09, the program has successfully identified the Addis Ababa Archdiocesan and Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat (ECS) of the Ethiopian Catholic Bishops Conference, a CRS partner for more than 50 years on health and development projects, as its local partner for sustainability and transition in program management. Past experiences with AAC, ECS and others partners has identified capacities required to become a direct PEFFAR grant recipients. In COP10, HIVAB project, there will be a scaling up of the use of tools such as We Stop AIDS, In Charge! and Youth Action Kit which empower individuals to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS with knowledge and life skills, and ensuring that both the technical and programmatic capacities are strengthened in strong alignment with the PEFAR/CDC and Ministry of Health guidelines and policies.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will carry out strategic objectives that focus on building the capacity of Woreda line ministries, communities, schools, FBOs and health workers; on community conversations and mobilization; and prevention and transmission education to effectively implement the AB program in nine woredas of Gambella and Benshangul regions.

CRS staff will facilitate 42 different workshops and trainings including Community Mobilization, We Stop AIDS, Community Conversation, and Training for Religious Leaders. In the Training for Religious Leaders Program, 180 inter-denominational religious leaders will be trained on HIV prevention. Woreda training on We Stop AIDS and Community Action Cycle includes a six-day TOT at partners' level for HAPCO, MOH, woreda line ministries, and diocese staff. In each of the nine woredas, 25 participants from line ministries and health workers will experience the participatory learning and action module We Stop AIDS during a two-day workshop and make action plans for reaching out to their woredas. Also, 180 health workers will participate in a 3-day workshop on stigma and discrimination. The woreda training on We Stop AIDS and Community Action Cycle will include sensitization sessions on community and social mobilization, using Community Action Cycle tools.

CRS will further support HIV/AIDS Coordination Committees. Partners will support a monthly coordination meeting with six participants in each of the nine woredas. CRS will assist woredas with at least 35 community outreach events. This activity with further train two facilitators in each of the nine woredas on community conversations during a two-day training. CRS will carry out TOT for In Charge! to reach school staff, students and parents in 27 schools around HIV prevention and transmission. To further reach young people, CRS will carry out a TOT for the Youth Action Kit (YAK) and organize 27 school anti-AIDS clubs to reach at least 25 participants each. YAK participants create an outreach event at the end of each school year. CRS partners will also carry out regular project field monitoring, quarterly reviews with local government staff and the community, and prepare progress reports for CRS.

These activities focus on key strategic objectives, including building the capacity of Woreda line ministries, communities, schools, FBOs, and health workers; on community conversations and mobilization; prevention and transmission efforts to effectively implement the OP program in nine woredas of Gambella and Benshangul regions.

CRS will facilitate 42 different workshops and trainings including community mobilization, We Stop AIDS, Community Conversations, and Training for Religious Leaders. In the Training for Religious Leaders effort, 180 inter-denominational leaders will be trained on HIV prevention. Woreda training on We Stop AIDS and Community Action Cycle will include a six-day TOT at partners' level for HAPCO, MOH, woreda line ministries, and diocese staff. Furthermore, in each of the nine woredas, 25 line ministry officials and health workers will experience the participatory learning and action module, We Stop AIDS, during a two-day workshop and will make action plans to reach out to their woredas. Additionally, 180 health workers will participate in a three-day workshop on stigma and discrimination. Woreda training on We Stop AIDS and Community Action Cycle will include sensitization sessions on dommunity and social mobilization, using Community Action Cycle tools.

CRS will enhance the efforts of HIV/AIDS Coordination Committees by having partners support a monthly coordination meeting with six participants in each of the nine woredas. CRS will assist 35 woreda community outreach events. Additionally, two facilitators will be trained on community conversations in each of the nine woredas during a two-day training.

To reach youth, CRS will carry out TOT for school staff on "In Charge!", ultimately reaching students and parents in 27 schools around HIV prevention and transmission. Another TOT will focus on the Youth Action Kit and organize 27 school Anti-AIDS clubs for at least 25 participants each. YAK participants create an outreach event at the end of each school year. Partners will also carry out regular project field monitoring, conduct quarterly reviews with local government staff and the community, and prepare progress reports for CRS.