1.ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION & EMPHASIS AREAS

The overall goal of the multi-sectoral ROADS Project (branded SafeTStop) is to stem HIV transmission and

mitigate the consequences of HIV/AIDS on vulnerable people along major East African transport corridors.

There is a high HIV transmission rate among members of mobile populations, drivers and their assistants,

and the vulnerable populations of in- and out-of-school youth, OVC and low-income women in these host

communities. Especially at cross-border stop-over sites truck drivers can be away from home for 2-3

months at a time and can be held up for days in customs clearance. Given that the poverty of the host

communities is exceedingly high, the prevalence of transactional sexual behaviors involving not only

community women but youth and orphaned children is also high. ROADS will work in 4 sites: Mariakani,

Malaba, Mlolongo and Busia to focus on developing behavior change communication (BCC) messaging

targeting truck drivers and communities along the transportation corridor. Specifically, the program will

develop BCC AB and OP prevention messages targeted towards truck drivers that promote consistent

condom use, knowing their own HIV status, reducing cross generational sex and reducing the number of

multiple concurrent partners. The ROADS project will provide the messages and technical assistance to the

current US Government partners that provide services at the SafeTStops on the transportation corridor,

including APHIA II Coast, APHIA II Eastern, APHIA II Rift Valley, APHIA II Western. The project's aim is to

provide consistent and regular messaging and outreach to drivers along the corridor. Furthermore, the

program will develop BCC messages that address commercial sex workers that live near the truck stops.

The messaging will address condom negotiation skills and knowing their status. Faithfulness messages are

delivered to truck drivers and the community men and women and married youth. FHI trains CBOs and

FBOs to support AB activities and to reduce stigma and discrimination in their communities. Critically

important to encouraging faithfulness is creating recreational alternatives for truck drivers and men that can

reduce exposure to alcohol. This includes interactive health discussion groups, entertainment in non-

alcohol establishments, and practical adult education sessions on topics identified by the truck drivers

including managing alcohol consumption, gender-based violence, managing financial resources and road

safety as well as referrals to VCT and other health services. ROADS will also convey HIV risk reduction

messages that include but go beyond AB. Peer educators focus on HIV/AIDS skills and knowledge,

including condom negotiation skills and correct use. "Other" messages, as well as condoms, are

disseminated to truck drivers, commercial sex workers, other men and women, and out-of-school youth

through peer education, community mobilization events, pharmacies/drug shops and SafeTStop resource

centers established in the sites and develop focused BCC for older orphans, a key underserved group.

2. CONTRIBUTIONS TO OVERALL PROGRAM AREA

The project will support the targets being reported by current USG partners that operate a long the

transportation corridor. ROADS reaches out to those whose sexual activity puts them at significant risk of

acquiring or transmitting HIV. Men who are away from home for months at a time will often have sexual

partners along the transport route. Unemployed women with no other source of income to feed and shelter

their children will often rely on informal financial support from truck drivers and other community men.

Given the "regular" nature of these relationships, condom use will be low, creating a major route for HIV

infection among mobile and community populations. The high number of youth out of school, many of

whom may be economically vulnerable orphaned heads of households, also become involved in

transactional sex to sustain themselves and their siblings. Messages and skills encouraging abstinence

and partner reduction will accompany skills building in risk reduction through increased condom use,

addressing sexually transmitted infections, and promoting CT including PMTCT services. ROADS reaches

out to those whose sexual activity puts them at significant risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Men who

are away from home for months at a time will often have sexual partners along the transport route.

Unemployed women with no other source of income to feed and shelter their children will often rely on

informal financial support from truck drivers and other community men. Given the "regular" nature of these

relationships, condom use will be low, creating a major route for HIV infection among mobile and community

populations. The high number of youth out of school, many of whom may be economically vulnerable

orphaned heads of households, also become involved in transactional sex to sustain themselves and their

siblings. Messages and skills encouraging abstinence and partner reduction will accompany skills building

in risk reduction through increased condom use, addressing sexually transmitted infections, and promoting

CT including PMTCT services. Support for other low-risk strategies for increasing economic opportunities

will also be pursued through the local private sector in terms of job creation and skills building as well as

providing limited food support as a strategy for reducing partners.

3. LINKS TO OTHER ACTIVITIES

The project will ensure consistent and regular messages delivered to truck drivers and CSW along the

transportation corridor. Through ongoing coordination with other USAID/Kenya PEPFAR partners, ROADS

will link with, and create demand for, clinic-based services (CT, PMTCT, STI diagnosis and management)

strengthened through PEPFAR programming in these areas.

4. POPULATIONS BEING TARGETED

The project will target truck drivers who stop at the truck stops (SafeTStops) along the transportation

corridor. ROADS will work closely with most-at-risk populations including commercial sex workers, truck

drivers and their attendants and sexually active older youth. Additionally, ROADS targets low-income

women who don't self-identify as sex workers but who may have "regular relationships" with select truckers

and community men due to economic vulnerability. A particularly underserved group includes older, head-

of-household OVC who may rely on transactional sex to provide for their siblings. ROADS reaches out to

those for whom abstinence and be faithful messages can be most effective. Abstinence activities are

directed to primary and secondary school students as well as out-of-school youth and to people living with

HIV and AIDS. Partner reduction/be faithful strategies will be targeted to truck drivers and their attendants

who are away from their families for three months or more and community men and women.

New/Continuing Activity: New Activity

Continuing Activity:

Table 3.3.02:

1.ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION & EMPHASIS AREAS

The overall goal of the multi-sectoral ROADS Project (branded SafeTStop) is to stem HIV transmission and

mitigate the consequences of HIV/AIDS on vulnerable people along major East African transport corridors.

There is a high HIV transmission rate among members of mobile populations, drivers, and their assistants,

and the vulnerable populations of in- and out-of-school youth, OVC and low-income women in these host

communities. Especially at cross-border stop-over sites truck drivers can be away from home for 2-3

months at a time and can be held up for days in customs clearance. Given that the poverty of the host

communities is exceedingly high, the prevalence of transactional sexual behaviors involving not only

community women but youth and orphaned children is also high. ROADS will work in 4 sites: Mariakani,

Malaba, Mlolongo and Busia to focus on developing behavior change communication (BCC) messaging

targeting truck drivers and communities along the transportation corridor. Specifically, the program will

develop BCC AB and OP prevention messages targeted towards truck drivers that promote consistent

condom use, knowing their own HIV status, reducing cross generational sex and reducing the number of

multiple concurrent partners. The ROADS project will provide the messages and technical assistance to the

current US Government partners that provide services at the SafeTStops on the transportation corridor,

including APHIA II Coast, APHIA II Eastern, APHIA II Rift Valley, APHIA II Western. The project's aim is to

provide consistent and regular messaging and outreach to drivers along the corridor. Furthermore, the

program will develop BCC messages that address commercial sex workers that live near the truck stops.

The messaging will address condom negotiation skills and knowing their status. Faithfulness messages are

delivered to truck drivers and the community men and women and married youth. FHI trains CBOs and

FBOs to support AB activities and to reduce stigma and discrimination in their communities. Critically

important to encouraging faithfulness is creating recreational alternatives for truck drivers and men that can

reduce exposure to alcohol. This includes interactive health discussion groups, entertainment in non-

alcohol establishments, and practical adult education sessions on topics identified by the truck drivers

including managing alcohol consumption, gender-based violence, managing financial resources and road

safety as well as referrals to VCT and other health services. ROADS will also convey HIV risk reduction

messages that include but go beyond AB. Peer educators focus on HIV/AIDS skills and knowledge,

including condom negotiation skills and correct use. "Other" messages, as well as condoms, are

disseminated to truck drivers, commercial sex workers, other men and women, and out-of-school youth

through peer education, community mobilization events, pharmacies/drug shops and SafeTStop resource

centers established in the sites. and develop focused BCC for older orphans, a key underserved group.

2.CONTRIBUTIONS TO OVERALL PROGRAM AREA

The project will support the targets being reported by current USG partners that operate a long the

transportation corridor. ROADS reaches out to those whose sexual activity puts them at significant risk of

acquiring or transmitting HIV. Men who are away from home for months at a time will often have sexual

partners along the transport route. Unemployed women with no other source of income to feed and shelter

their children will often rely on informal financial support from truck drivers and other community men.

Given the "regular" nature of these relationships, condom use will be low, creating a major route for HIV

infection among mobile and community populations. The high number of youth out of school, many of

whom may be economically vulnerable orphaned heads of households, also become involved in

transactional sex to sustain themselves and their siblings. Messages and skills encouraging abstinence

and partner reduction will accompany skills building in risk reduction through increased condom use,

addressing sexually transmitted infections, and promoting CT including PMTCT services. ROADS reaches

out to those whose sexual activity puts them at significant risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Men who

are away from home for months at a time will often have sexual partners along the transport route.

Unemployed women with no other source of income to feed and shelter their children will often rely on

informal financial support from truck drivers and other community men. Given the "regular" nature of these

relationships, condom use will be low, creating a major route for HIV infection among mobile and community

populations. The high number of youth out of school, many of whom may be economically vulnerable

orphaned heads of households, also become involved in transactional sex to sustain themselves and their

siblings. Messages and skills encouraging abstinence and partner reduction will accompany skills building

in risk reduction through increased condom use, addressing sexually transmitted infections, and promoting

CT including PMTCT services. Support for other low-risk strategies for increasing economic opportunities

will also be pursued through the local private sector in terms of job creation and skills building as well as

providing limited food support as a strategy for reducing partners.

3. LINKS TO OTHER ACTIVITIES

The project will ensure consistent and regular messages delivered to truck drivers and CSW along the

transportation corridor. Through ongoing coordination with other USAID/Kenya PEPFAR partners, ROADS

will link with, and create demand for, clinic-based services (CT, PMTCT, STI diagnosis and management)

strengthened through PEPFAR programming in these areas.

4. POPULATIONS BEING TARGETED

The project will target truck drivers who stop at the truck stops (SafeTStops) along the transportation

corridor. ROADS will work closely with most-at-risk populations including commercial sex workers, truck

drivers and their attendants and sexually active older youth. Additionally, ROADS targets low-income

women who don't self-identify as sex workers but who may have "regular relationships" with select truckers

and community men due to economic vulnerability. A particularly underserved group includes older, head-

of-household OVC who may rely on transactional sex to provide for their siblings. ROADS reaches out to

those for whom abstinence and be faithful messages can be most effective. Abstinence activities are

directed to primary and secondary school students as well as out-of-school youth and to people living with

HIV and AIDS. Partner reduction/be faithful strategies will be targeted to truck drivers and their attendants

who are away from their families for three months or more and community men and women.

New/Continuing Activity: New Activity

Continuing Activity:

Table 3.3.03: