THIS IS AN ONGOING ACTIVITY. THE NARRATIVE IS UNCHANGED EXCEPT FOR UPDATED

REFERENCES TO TARGETS AND BUDGETS.

The only change to the program since approval in the 2007 COP is:

• Geographic coverage has expanded to include Nakuru in the South Rift

1. LIST OF RELATED ACTIVITIES

This activity relates to activities in Counseling and Testing at local VCT centers not funded with USG

dollars.

2. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

In FY2008, the "Mobilizing Youth for Life" program (MYFL) will concentrate on improving the quality of AB

interventions and expand the program reach through the partnership with seven local FBOs in Central,

Western, Nairobi, Rift Valley, and Eastern Provinces. MYFL anticipates reaching 100,000 youth with the

behavior change message that prepares them to choose abstinence and fidelity as the best way to prevent

HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

To realize these targets, WR shall work with an extensive network of 100 churches, 360 schools, 4

universities/colleges, and 60 out-of-school youth community groups. WR shall train 730 schoolteachers and

hold advocacy and sensitization meetings for 100 pastors, 300 school heads, 18,560 parents, 40 College

Advisory Board members, and 10,000 church members to support the 1,870-trained Peer Educators and

the 100,000-targeted youth. The Advocacy and sensitization meetings will be to help the influential adults to

understand their role in supporting youth in their commitment to AB, and in creating an enabling

environment for the youth to learn, practice, and promote the AB message. In total, the program will reach

132,000 individuals with the abstinence and/or being faithful messages and will train 2,600 individuals to

promote HIV/AIDS prevention.

The trained peer educators and teachers will carry out peer education activities in the schools, churches,

community youth clubs, and university/colleges, keep attendance and abstinence records, establish and run

533 youth clubs that will provide continued social support for youth and sustain the AB campaigns in the

respective institutions. They will use the structured peer educator's curriculum, The Choose Life Manual, to

facilitate the sessions. The Choose Life Curriculum for ages 10-14 and 15-24 addresses gender-based

violence and sexual coercion. It empowers the youth to resist sexual coercion and equips them with life

skills to make wise choices. It emphasizes abstinence and faithfulness for youth aged 10-24 through peer

education. It has been helpful in maintaining the quality of training interventions and integrity of the AB

messages.

The MYFL staff and volunteers will make monthly follow-up visits to each school, university/college,

community youth clubs, and church programs to collect data and support the programs in the areas that

they may need help. The MYFL staff will use the existing M&E system to track down the programs progress.

This includes monthly planning and reporting tools, time sheets, work plans, quarterly partners meetings

and strategic communication between WR and the partners throughout the year. WR will continue to build

the capacity of the partners, reflecting on the lessons learnt, to help them implement quality AB HIV/AIDS

prevention programs.

3. CONTRIBUTIONS TO OVERALL PROGRAM AREA

WR's AB activities focus on reducing the number of new infections among the youth and subsequently the

general population. The project seeks to reduce the number of boys and girls who have sex before age 15

by promoting abstinence only for youth up to age 15 and AB thereafter. MYFL will increase the proportion of

men and women 15-24 years who can correctly identify ways of preventing sexually transmitted HIV/AIDS

infection from 86% and 77% respectively to 95%.

4. LINKS TO OTHER ACTIVITIES

While MYFL is an AB program, a considerable number of youth in the target population is sexually active.

For these youth, secondary abstinence will be encouraged. Condom use would be discussed but great

emphasis will be given to referring them to voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and STI diagnosis and

treatment centers for a more comprehensive approach.

5. POPULATIONS BEING TARGETED

MYFL targets youth between ages 10-24. We will expand our reach especially to children ages 10-14 by

preparing them to choose abstinence before marriage as the best way to prevent HIV/AIDS and other

sexually transmitted diseases by delaying sexual debut. The project also targets influential adults (i.e.

parents, teachers, church leaders) to help them understand their role in encouraging youth to make wise

choices about their sexual behavior.

6. KEY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES ADDRESSED

WR's structured peer education curriculum for ages 10-14 and 15-24 addresses gender-based violence and

sexual coercion. It empowers the youth to resist sexual coercion and equips them with life skills to make

wise choices.

7. EMPHASIS AREAS

MYFL's major emphasis is on promoting abstinence and being faithful for youth ages 10-24 through peer

education. The structured peer educator's curriculum has been very well received by staff as a tool to help

them maintain the quality of training interventions and integrity of the AB messages. In addition, the project

is developing the capacity of seven local FBOs serving youth to implement quality AB HIV/AIDS prevention

programs. MYFL will also enhance an enabling environment through mass events for promotion of

abstinence until marriage and fidelity to one faithful uninfected partner.