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

REFERENCES TO TARGETS AND BUDGETS.

1. LIST OF RELATED ACTIVITIES

This activity relates to ADRA's AB program (#6833) and the APHIA II Rift Valley interventions (#9070). Sub-

partners include Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Communication

Programs; Scripture Union; and Kenya Students Christian Fellowship.

2. ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION

The Abstinence and Risk Avoidance for Youth (ARK) Program continues to build upon the expertise and on-

the-ground presence of World Vision Area Development Programs (ADPs), relationships with schools, local

churches, FBOs, CBOs, NGOs and other affinity groups. ARK will expand to new divisions in same target

districts and (i) train/retrain Peer Educators and Youth Mentors, radio listeners groups, theater groups, and

radio presenters, faith leaders, teachers, health workers, and other community leaders; (ii) hold peer to peer

education and dialogues; (iii) strengthen Youth/Parent Advisory Groups and parent/youth action groups; (iv)

produce radio spots, discussion programs, motivational tools; (v) organize Community Care Coalitions

(CCC) or equivalents providing care and support to OVC and PLHWAs to promote/reinforce AB messages;

and (vi) heighten supportive supervision. ARK's focused messages and skills development are on risk

avoidance/reduction for all youth, regardless of age group. The aim is to delay first intercourse among youth

10 to 14 years old, to delay first intercourse and/or increase "secondary abstinence" until marriage among

sexually active 15 to 24 year olds; to strengthen people's (15 to 49 year olds) understanding and capacity to

practice mutual fidelity and commitment to a single partner and address needs of discordant partners.

Organizations, structures such as youth-serving facilities, FBOs, CBOs, schools, church and faith

communities will continue to be strengthened to support young people in their efforts to abstain and be

faithful. Capacities of Area Advisory Councils will be built to coordinate activities of local HIV/AIDS

committees and to begin to lead joint planning and assessment of ARK activities. Common Ground Melting

Pot meetings among youth, parents and other stakeholders will stress broader prevention issues that

include adults. The ARK Management Team will present briefings and/or progress reports to the

governments on ARK AB programs. In addition, ARK will continue to build the capacity of the two partner

FBOs to improve the quality of their training.

3. CONTRIBUTIONS TO OVERALL PROGRAM AREA

ARK will reach 97,000 individuals and train 5,000 people. Specifically, ARK will train/retrain 4,000 youth

PEs, 500 parent/adult mentors, 200 faith leaders, 200 teachers, 75 community leaders, and 25 health

workers to promote "A and/or B". These trained individuals will reinforce and/or equip 55,000 youth 10 to 14

years old with knowledge and skills that will help them delay age of sexual debut and 42,000 youth 15 to 24

years to practice primary or secondary "A and/or B", contributing to a reduction in the rate of HIV

transmission. ARK will continue to create a critical mass of groups of youth peer educators and adult

mentors trained by 30 certified master trainers to conduct downstream training in "A and/or B" to youth,

parents, community and religious leaders, teachers, and youth service providers." ARK will continue to

mobilize government leaders at various levels, promote the rights of youth and to join various ARK

activities. All the above activities support the national strategies of the government of Kenya and have the

explicit support of government ministries that deal with youth and HIV/AIDS.

4. LINKS TO OTHER ACTIVITIES

ARK activities are linked to ongoing work within the World Vision ADPs; collaboration with Ministries of

Education and Health to mobilize and equip youth, health care providers and teachers with skills to promote

A and/or B behaviors. ARK also works to increase the range and quality of services to the youth and links

with ADRA's AB program and AB activities of APHIA II Rift Valley (#9070). ARK also builds on the

successes of the KATSO program, facilitated advisory and action groups and the systems that exist in the

communities to cultivate supportive family and community environments. ARK works closely with village

and district level leadership as well as FBO leaders to address obstacles in the environment that curtail the

adoption of A&B norms.

5. POPULATIONS BEING TARGETED

ARK's primary target audience is girls aged 10-24 years with boys of the same age as a secondary target;

this year expanding to adults up to 49 years old (male/female), while parents, caregivers, teachers, religious

and community leaders and health care providers are tertiary targets. ARK targets youth aged 10-14 with

outreach "A" activities; aged 15-24 years receive "A and/or B" activities inc. including secondary abstinence

for those who are already sexually active; 25 to 49 with "B' and condom use messages.

6. KEY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES ADDRESSED

ARK activities address male and female cultural beliefs, norms and stereotypes that predispose both sexes

to HIV infection, while empowering males to be defenders of women and girls' rights and to exercise equity

in all areas. ARK maintains a deliberate bias towards addressing the needs of girls and young women.

7. EMPHASIS AREAS

This activity emphasizes community mobilization of various types of organizations referred to above. Other

emphases include local organization capacity development; quality training and supportive supervision;

strengthening the M&E system; mass production of ‘extending tools' e.g., ARK passport to enable the youth

to stick to the healthy choices they make.