Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Details for Mechanism ID: 10480
Country/Region: Lesotho
Year: 2010
Main Partner: Pact, Inc.
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: NGO
Funding Agency: USAID
Total Funding: $2,972,500

Executive Summary Between April 2005 and April 2010, Pact managed capacity building and grant making activities for HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support to local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and cross-regionally with funding from USAID/Southern Africa Regional HIV and AIDS Program (RHAP). In 2010, the Lesotho component of the regional program transitioned to a new five-year Cooperative Agreement under the Community REACH Leader with Associate Award. Under the Award, Pact continues to facilitate the efficient flow of grant funds and to provide targeted technical and capacity building services to organizations playing valuable roles in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Pact currently provides grants to 11 organizations to implement key prevention interventions, improve community-based care and support services to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), and provide care to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). Additional organizations may be added to Pact's partner portfolio through a competitive Annual Program Statement process run in conjunction with the PEPFAR Lesotho Task Form, as well as through unsolicited processes during implementation. The overall goal of all Pact and partner activities is to "Reduce the impact of HIV and AIDS and improve health care for Lesotho".

Pact and partner activities contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Lesotho Partnership Framework (2009-2014), the PEPFAR Lesotho Strategy and the Lesotho's National AIDS Strategy (2006- 2011). In collaboration with partner organizations, Pact's program specifically contributes to the realization of goals 1, 2, and 4 of the partnership framework through a tailored approach that responds directly to the nuances of implementation within Lesotho's culture and context. Pact's primary objectives are:

1. To implement an effective and transparent grant award and administration system to support partner organizations responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Lesotho

2. To provide partners with access to the financial resources and high-quality technical expertise required to deliver effective programming and results 3. To strengthen the Lesotho civil society response to HIV and AIDS through the provision of capacity building services to strengthen the technical and organizational capacity of NGOs, CBOs and FBOs in providing sustainable quality HIV and AIDS services

Pact's sub-partners implement programs in: Sexual and Other Sexual Prevention; Adult Care and Support; Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Services; and Health System Strengthening (HSS). Sexual Prevention partners currently include the Anti Drug Abuse Association of Lesotho (ADAAL), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Lesotho Durham Link (LDL), Lesotho Catholic Bishops Conference (LCBC) and Rural Self-Help Development Association (RSDA); Other Sexual Prevention partners include CARE Bokomaso, and Phelisanang Bophelong (PB). Adult Care and Support partners include the African Palliative Care Association (APCA), CARE Bokomaso, PB, and LCBC. The Society for Women Against AIDS in Lesotho (SWAALES) and CARE implement OVC programs, while International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and the Southern African HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS). Implement health systems strengthening interventions. Pact's own activities with partners fall under Health Systems Strengthening and Strategic Information. Pact's program intends to cover 8 out of the 10 districts of Lesotho including Berea, Leribe, Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka; and Quthing. All 9 districts will be covered with Sexual Prevention interventions; while 4 districts of Leribe, Maseru Mohale's Hoek and Mokhotlong shall be covered with Adult Care and Support, OVC, and Other Sexual Prevention interventions.

Partners shall implement programs targeted to specific audiences and age groups, and congruent with the changing landscape of HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. Sexual Prevention programs shall target in and out of school youth, aged 10-14 years and 15-24 years, with abstinence promotion interventions; persons aged 25 years and older and persons in long term relationships shall be reached with behavior change interventions that promote abstinence and fidelity. Parents and other influential community members shall also be targeted with specific interventions aimed at increasing their involvement in preventing the spread of HIV among youth, especially school-going children. Other Sexual Prevention programs shall target most at risk populations including street vendors, factory workers, sex workers, miners, and truck drivers.

Adult Care and Support programs will target People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) with comprehensive home-based care service packages, access to condoms, pre-antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence education, and referral for other clinical services. OVC programs will target children younger than 18 years who lost a parent due to HIV, HIV-infected children, and other vulnerable children, especially girls subjected to exploitation and sexual abuse. Special attention will be placed on OVCs residing in very remote areas where there is a noted shortage of trained social welfare staff available to

provide necessary support to OVC.

Pact's program shall include cross-cutting mechanisms for economic strengthening, micro-finance, gender-based violence, and HIV/AIDS workplace programs. Economic strengthening interventions will target households of HIV-infected individuals receiving adult care and support and OVC programs. Targeted beneficiaries (or their households) will be supported to set up vegetable gardens, poultry and piggery units for income generation and home consumption purposes, with a special emphasis on support for individuals with insufficient nutritional intake needed to successfully adhere to ARTs. Individuals involved in Adult Care and Support programs, including caregivers, will be supported through the establishment of voluntary savings and loan schemes to provide additional income for self-reliance and motivate community members engaged in community home-based care and support programs.

In addition, Pact shall, through its' partner, SAFAIDS, implement gender based violence interventions aimed at community awareness and mobilization against societal and community norms that perpetuate violence against women and other marginalized populations. Another Pact partner, IESC, will continue to implement workplace programs using the BizAIDS methodology, which targets both small and medium enterprises and business networks to implement HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention interventions for their members and employees.

The Pact program contributes towards Health System Strengthening within Lesotho by building the technical capacity of partner organizations through on-going formal trainings and customized on-site support in the areas of strategic information, technical expertise, organizational development, and financial management. In-service trainings provided to both community volunteers and health professionals engaged in partner programs also substantially contribute to the development of human resources for health within Lesotho. Pact aims to promote the strengthening of a viable and sustainable civil society empowered to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Lesotho by emphasizing the importance of institutionalized capacity development, mobilizing and leveraging resources and strong leadership skills.

Pact is committed to ensuring the effective provision of quality services that comprehensively meet the needs of targeted beneficiaries, as well as promoting efficiency within programs. Partner organizations are guided in the design of cost-effective programs where program targets and costs per person served are considered carefully to ensure that they are in-line with, or more cost-effective than similar programs in the Southern African region. To further promote efficiency, programs are designed to promote and support linkages with other existing programs such as counseling and testing, treatment of sexually transmitted infections and other appropriate services.

Pact's grant monitoring strategy focuses on results-based management and ensures that program

processes, products and services contribute to the achievement of clearly stated results. Pact implements a Performance Monitoring Plan (PMP) that tracks project outputs towards PEPFAR goal achievement, as well as progress on building grantees' capacity and organizational effectiveness. Pact's Strategic Information support focuses on PEPFAR-funded activities, however, partners also receive assistance with integrating best practices in monitoring into other organizational activities

Through comprehensive compliance reporting and periodic site visits, Pact ensures that technical programs are implemented as planned, funds are properly expended and documented, and that necessary and timely adjustments are made appropriately. Pact supports grantees in the development of monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) systems for tracking relevant PEPFAR-specific indicators. Pact further provides support to grantees in proper reporting (using PEPFAR templates) and conducting internal data quality assessments as required to ensure quality data.

Pact's PMP tracks and evaluates all key program concepts. To accomplish this, Pact utilizes various approaches including: routine program performance reviews, capacity assessments, and targeted studies. Overall administrative, financial, technical and organizational systems development capacities are evaluated at regular intervals during the grant period using various Pact capacity assessment tools, while special areas of interest for learning can be investigated using targeted studies. To complement these internal processes, Pact proposes engaging an external team of technical experts to periodically review program progress to inform program direction. Pact's partner profile will change as some awards are closed and others are added through a competitive Annual Program Statement or other processes

Funding for Care: Orphans and Vulnerable Children (HKID): $792,500

Context and Background Lesotho has an estimated population of 1.88 million with 60% living below the poverty datum line (OVC National Action Plan: 2006), an estimated 180,000 of which are considered orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). Lesotho's National Strategic Plan (NSP 2006-2011) emphasizes is a need to increase percentage of AIDS orphans identified and accessing OVC services to 90% by 2011. Pact and partners are committed to implementing an OVC program that contributes to the achievement of the goals of the Lesotho Partnership Framework (2009-2014); PEPFAR Lesotho Strategy and the Lesotho's National AIDS Strategy (2006-2011). Accomplishments Since Last COP Pact, through partners, CARE and SWAALES, expanded their service coverage areas to include two new districts, Berea and Mokhotlong, in addition to continuing services in Maseru and Leribe. Pact partners served a total of 2,616 (M1,285, F1,331) OVCs and trained 28 individuals to provide OVC care and support (by end of June 2009) through targeted community driven programming. CARE served 1,717 (M847, F870) OVCs in Maseru, Mokhotlong and Leribe districts. OVCs received services including psychosocial support, preparation for death counseling, grief counseling, HIV and AIDS counseling, legal assistance for protection of property, access to birth and death certificate, treatment adherence, follow-up on immunizations and referrals to clinics. OVC households were also supported to establish homestead gardens to improve nutrition and for income generating opportunities. SWAALES served 899 (M438, F461) OVCs with supplementary feeding consisting of one meal a day for five days a week. Other services provided to OVCs included educational support (school fees, academic materials), psycho-social counseling, and follow-ups for treatment adherence for OVCs on ART, other medical support, and life skills education. OVCs are equipped with life skills for income generation including candle making, bead work, gardening (weeding, irrigation and making homestead vegetable gardens). The main challenge facing OVC programming is the increasing number of orphans due to the HIV and AIDS pandemic and the vulnerability of girl children to exploitation and sexual abuse. In addition, caregivers often lack the requisite skills in psychosocial care and support to adequately address OVCs needs. A shortage of social welfare staff trained to provide necessary support, particularly in rural districts, exacerbates these problems and leaves many communities with underserved or unreached

OVC.

Goals and Strategies for the Coming Year Pact's goal is to strengthen mechanisms for providing effective, community-based OVC services, focusing on those children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Pact is committed to improving the quality of life of OVC and to contributing to positive social and cultural norms that undermine the situation of OVCs in Lesotho. Partners programs focus on addressing community support and coordination to meet OVC needs, strengthen capacity of households and families to care for OVCs and improve the quality of OVC service delivery. Program target orphans younger than 18 years, particularly those orphaned due to HIV related causes, HIV positive children and most vulnerable children, such as girls subjected to exploitation and sexual abuse. Special emphasis is placed on OVCs in very remote areas with a shortage of trained social welfare staff. The program covers seven of the 10 districts of Lesotho including Berea, Leribe, Maseru, Mohale's hoek, Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Qachas Nek. Pact provides local community based organizations with technical and organizational development support to increase their capacity to effectively and efficiently reach OVCs. Pact supports partners to design and implement programs that address individual risk of targeted beneficiaries, as well as societal factors that affect vulnerability. Where possible, programs will link with relevant partner prevention activities, such as interventions to make school environments safer for girls, reduce harmful gender norms, and reduce alcohol and substance abuse. To mitigate issues of volunteer recruitment and retention, Pact provides volunteer management training and support to partners to provide on-going training, motivation, and on-site mentoring and supervision for effective program delivery. Pact OVC partners include: CARE Bokomaso, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Society for Women and Against AIDS in Africa - Lesotho (SWAALES). Pact's partners will focus on providing OVCs with care and support services, including basic psycho-social support, referrals for medical treatment, educational services, legal support, material support, supplementary feeding and building of life skills. Community volunteers will be trained in various OVC care and support components to equip them with necessary skills to assess and provide for OVC needs through home visits. CARE's integrated community home based care (ICHBC) and support program aims to strengthen the capacity of communities to support households affected by HIV and AIDS. CARE will work in partnership with CBOs in the districts of Thaba-tseka, Qacha's Nek, Mokhotlong, Leribe and Maseru. CAREs OVC program aims to address the needs of children 0-17 years old made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. CARE provides its sub-partners with financial, technical and organizational capacity assistance required for them to deliver services to OVCs. A key feature of CARE's approach to OVC care and support is an emphasis on ensuring that not only the OVC, but the entire household benefits from home-based care services.

CARE's OVC package includes the following services: food and nutrition, educational support, material assistance, shelter, clothing, referral for health services, and legal support. In addition, OVC services will include basic psychosocial support, referral for medical treatment and educational assistance whenever necessary. CARE, through their partners, will train OVCs in life skills and income generating activities such as sewing, knitting, and carpentry so as to strengthen their economic capacity and that of their households. Other life skills activities include educative videos on HIV/AIDS prevention to encourage behavior change. Each caregiver will carry out door-to-door education sessions about basic facts on TB/HIV literacy for OVC households with TB/HIV-infected parents/guardians. This will be aimed at reducing possible spread and risk of infection at household levels. CARE, through CBOs, will refer OVC households to legal service providers whenever the need arises.

To ensure quality of service delivery, CARE will provide capacity building through trainings in relevant areas, technical support and quality monitoring and program oversight. OVC care givers will be empowered to monitor and track children's well-being, growth and development, hygiene, immunizations, identification of illnesses and ensure early referrals. Training will also be provided to caregivers in OVC care, rights of children, HIV risk and stigma reduction, psycho-social support, and counseling. CBO managers will also be equipped with skills to facilitate better management of OVC programs. Such skills will include: volunteer management, financial management, conflict management, MER, proposal writing, leadership, computer literacy and business management skills. CARE will ensure linkages with other stake holders and service providers to promote a holistic approach to addressing OVC needs. Other stakeholders may include government departments and ministries, influential community members, schools etc.

SWAALES will deliver quality care and support services to OVCs in thirteen villages of Berea, Maseru and Leribe districts. SWAALES' OVC program focuses on OVC through trained service providers by improving access to education, referrals for health services, and increasing OVC's access to basic social services including psychosocial support. SWAALES' program also aims to counter stigma and discrimination against OVC, and building life skills for OVCs and their guardians in order to contribute to the socio-economic welfare of OVC and reduction of child abuse in the communities. SWAALES' program provides direct support to OVCs, their caregivers, families and community members, and focuses on ensuring OVCs have basic needs and safe environment which is conducive to their growth. OVCs are provided with supplementary feeding consisting of one meal a day for five days a week. OVC caregivers provide one-to-one basis mentoring, referrals and follow-ups with program beneficiaries and their households. At family level, the program supports OVC households (heads and/or guardians) in basic OVC care and support. To ensure quality programming, caregivers are trained to ensure proper assessment of OVC needs, identifying the need for referrals and follow up on referrals through home visits. SWAALES will train both

its staff and caregivers in various OVC care and support components. Training will focus on counseling, prevention in sexual abuse, TB/HIV and AIDS literacy, psychosocial counseling, income generating skills, and basic hygiene. SWAALES will strive to improve its volunteer management strategy, focusing on improving retention and decreasing volunteer turn-over. Volunteers will receive monthly stipends and increased supportive supervision to its volunteers to enable them to meet the required standard of OVC service delivery. CRS' Mountain Orphan and Vulnerable Children Empowerment (MOVE) project targets OVC and OVC caregivers that live around health clinics supported by the Lesotho Flying Doctors Service (LFDS). There are currently nine health clinics located in the rural areas with potential access to 12,000 OVC in Thaba Tseka, Mohale's Hoek, districts. CRS will provide managerial and technical support in the MOVE project and actual implementation will be done by two local indigenous organizations namely Catholic Commission for Justice & Peace and Caritas Lesotho. Program activities include: basic psycho-social support, material assistance, referral of OVC for medical treatment and educational assistance, life skills and income generating activities, HIV prevention and child protection, and safety. The project works closely with the Ministry of Education and the Master of the High Court to ensure that existing curricula and resources for life skills education, psychosocial care and support, energy-saving technologies, peer education, IECCD, HIV prevention, child rights, and legal frameworks are the basis for the MOVE project's training and mobilization curricula. Like other partners, CRS will also train its caregivers in relevant program components to facilitate quality service delivery. Training will covers counseling, prevention in sexual abuse, TB/HIV and AIDS literacy, psychosocial counseling, income generating skills, and basic hygiene. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Pact supports grantees to plan and budget for MER in their programs and to develop MER systems for tracking PEPFAR specific and other organizational indicators. Partners are trained in Basic MER principles and also provided on-going customized technical support to enable them to establish and maintain good MER systems. Partners are assisted in designing of appropriate results frameworks, data collection, and program monitoring formats and procedures for tracking program implementation. Pact further provides support to grantees in proper reporting, data analysis and routine program reviews, as well as the use of MER results to make timely program adjustments. Pact also undertakes focused studies to investigate areas of interest in partner programs that could produce valuable insights and learning.

Funding for Strategic Information (HVSI): $100,000

Context and Background In the context of 23.2% HIV prevalence rates, small population and low socio-economic status, Lesotho's National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (2006-2011) (NSP) and the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) have highlighted the need to build local capacity to undertake monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities for accurate, up-to-date, field level data needed for strategic decision making and planning at all levels. Pact is committed to the development, strengthening and harmonization of community-based capacity for strategic information systems in Lesotho by providing monitoring, evaluation and reporting (MER) technical support to its sub-partners.

Pact aims to enhance partners' capacity to effectively reach large numbers of Basotho with HIV/AIDS services in a sustainable manner, while accurately monitoring and tracking activities. Pact assists each partner in developing a results framework that measures success against both PEPFAR and other organizational indicators and supports development of comprehensive MER plans and systems. Pact provides partners with formal training in MER through a four-day MER course as well as a 3-day course on data quality. Additionally, Pact provides ongoing MER assistance to all partners in the following areas: review and development of effective data collection, analysis and reporting tools; setting realistic and achievable targets; establishing and strengthening data quality management systems; conducting internal data quality audits; and verifying and validating partner and sub-partner data submissions.

Targeted beneficiaries include MER, program, and senior management staff of the following partner organizations: African Palliative Care Association (APCA), Anti Drug Abuse Association of Lesotho (ADAAL), Care Bokomaso, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) International Executive Service Corps (IESC)/ Phelisanang Bophelong (PB), Rural Self Help Development Association (RSDA), Lesotho Durham Link (LDL), Lesotho Catholic Bishops' Conference (LCBC), Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) and Society for Women and AIDS in Africa - Lesotho (SWAALES).

To support harmonization of strategic information systems within Lesotho, Pact contributes information to PEPFAR, which keeps the Lesotho government informed of implementation status. Pact also supports partners' roll up of data to the Lesotho National AIDS Commission's (NAC) HIV and AIDS Monitoring System. Data quality is continuously monitored through Pact and partners data quality management systems, internal data quality audits, and verification and validation of partner and sub partner data submissions.

Accomplishments Since Last COP

During this period, Pact provided technical assistance for Strategic Information activities to 7 local organizations and trained a total of 34 individuals in Pact's Basic MER and Data Quality Management

courses. Twenty-four participants completed the Basic MER course, while ten individuals completed the data quality management course. Pact's basic MER course aims at improving participants' proficiency in MER concepts and principles and capacity to oversee MER for PEPFAR-funded activities, as well as other programs through straightforward, cost-effective, quality MER systems. Participants included program officers with MER oversight as well as newly employed project staff responsible for MER within their organizations. Participants for this course represented 17 organizations, eight of which were Pact partners and nine were US Ambassador's small grants recipients. Seven of the above trained staff from six partner organizations were also supported to undertake a basic Microsoft Excel course to strengthen their data management and analysis skills.

Pact provided on-going customized MER technical support to 7 partner organizations in the following areas: updating MER plans; streamlining data collection systems to meet new PEPFAR indicator and reporting requirements; conducting organizational MER capacity assessments and using findings to refine partners' MER capacity building plans; conducting data verification exercises; and meeting quarterly PEPFAR data submission requirements. Nine partner organizations were supported to conduct semi-annual program performance reviews. The reviews focused on analysis of data to establish achievements, challenges and lessons learnt, and inform organizational decision-making processes and future programming. Pact also supported seven partners to develop data quality management plans for their organizations.

During this period, Pact commissioned a study to evaluate SAFAIDS' work. The study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of SAfAIDS community-based HIV and AIDS program in Lesotho. The study report currently being finalized will be used to inform future programming.

One of the main challenges faced under Pact's strategic information interventions is inadequate staffing and/or rapid turnover of staff in partner organizations. This has negatively impacted progress, undermines sustainability and institutionalization of interventions and requires that trainings be conducted annually.

Goals and Strategies for the Coming Year Pact will continue prioritizing strengthening partners' ability to provide comprehensive HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support, OVC care, and contribute to systems and structures that support the national response to HIV/AIDS. Monitoring and evaluation practices will also be strengthened to effectively collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to assess, improve and report on performance in program areas. In this regard, necessary information will be collected, compiled, analyzed, and used for programmatic decision making.

In all technical assistance and training, Pact targets wider organizational rather than project-specific systems strengthening in order to ensure sustained and institutionalized MER systems improvements. Pact will also work with grantees to improve their linkages with the Lesotho National HIV and AIDS Program Monitoring System to ensure that data generated from grantees contributes to the national M&E system. Additional capacity building interventions will include development of knowledge management processes which will contribute to improvements in organizational learning and use of data to improve performance. In order to achieve these aims, Pact will specifically undertake the following activities:

MER Capacity Assessments and Technical Assistance Plans: Pact will continue to work with all grantees in assessing their level of MER capacity, which will provide benchmark information on the status of human capacity and systems development, as well as processes for generating, managing and using program data for decision making. The MER assessments are essential for the technical assistance planning process and in assessing results of earlier identified capacity building efforts. Pact works with each grantee to develop an MER technical capacity building plan aimed at strengthening the organization's strategic information system and their ability to meet PEPFAR requirements for data quality and reporting.

MER Capacity Development: Capacity building interventions will include formal training in Basic MER Principles and Concepts, Data Quality Management, and Program Evaluation. Pact will be implementing the training course on program evaluation for the first time in FY 10. In addition to formal training, Pact will provide on-site mentoring and training tailored to the needs of individual partners. The on-site mentoring will focus on updating of MER plans, development and review of data collection and collation tools, database management, appropriate use of data collection tools and interpretation of indicator protocols, development of data quality plans, review of implementation plans, and setting and review of targets.

Pact Basic MER Training: This is a 4-day training workshop offered to all sub-partners, covering basic concepts on MER, guidance on developing PEPFAR-related indicator protocols, results frameworks and an MER plan. The workshop combines theory and practical sessions aimed at developing MER plans for each participating partner. The curriculum for this workshop is based on Pact's manual "Building Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Systems for HIV and AIDS Programs".

Pact Data Quality Management Training: This is a 3-day training workshop offered to sub-partners annually. This course is aimed at increasing the ability of participants to identify and manage common data quality problems and thereby strengthen the utility of data for decision-making. The course curriculum, which was developed by Pact, includes principles of data quality management, developing and managing a data quality plan, data quality risk assessments and data audits. One of the key

outcomes of this course is that each partner will have a data quality management plan for their organization.

Pact Training on Basic Program Evaluation: This is a 4-day training workshop offered to all sub-partners covering basic concepts on program evaluation, evaluation designs, methods for data collection, survey methods including sampling techniques, data analysis and presentation, and how to manage consultants hired to conduct program evaluations. The workshop combines theory and practical sessions aimed at developing evaluation competencies for participating partners.

Data Quality Assessments: Pact will work with grantees to conduct data quality assessments aimed at determining if data generated meets quality requirements for reporting to PEPFAR. These assessments will enable Pact and the grantees to identify and strengthen data management processes that are critical in ensuring high quality data. Pact will work with each grantee to undertake and document findings from their programs data quality assessment and develop mitigation plans to address identified system gaps.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation: Through a participatory assessment process, Pact conducts assessment of each grantee's MER capacity that serves as a baseline against which progress achieved and outstanding areas for strengthening are measured. Pact staffs conduct SI assessment scoring the capacity of partners in terms of implementing monitoring, evaluation and reporting systems for their organization. This assessment is updated annually. Partners' progress is also monitored through on- going site visits, data audits, program performance reviews, and feedback from beneficiaries. During these processes identified changes in partners' MER capacity are documented.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $1,150,000

Context and Background: With nearly a quarter of Lesotho's adult population estimated to be HIV positive, AIDS constitutes an alarming threat. According to the National AIDS Commission (NAC) and UNAIDS, approximately 29,000 new infections occurred in 2007. Absence, illness, premature death, and early retirements lead to loss of skills and experience and declining productivity, affecting development, damaging an already strained economy, and placing high demands on the health care system.

Pact began working in Lesotho under a regional Associate Cooperative Agreement, signed between Pact and USAID's Regional HIV/AIDS Program (RHAP) in April 2005 and ending in April 2010. Under that program, Pact managed sub-grants for 11 organizations, strengthening the institutional capacity of these

organizations and coordinating the technical assistance provided by the 11 organizations. Pact partners currently include: African Palliative Care Association (APCA), Anti-Drug Abuse Association of Lesotho (ADAAL), Rural Self-Help Development Association (RSDA), Lesotho Catholic Bishops Conference (LCBC), Phelisanang Bophelong (PB), and Lesotho Durham Link (LDL), Care Lesotho, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) and International Executive Service Corps (IESC/BizAIDS). Pact's partner profile will change as some awards are closed and others are added through a competitive Annual Program Statement or other processes.

Pact's primary goal is to build the institutional capacity of partners in order to increase their effectiveness and capacity in achieving expanded and quality services while strengthening the management of organizational financial and human resources. Pact also accesses regional and international technical experts to support improved capacity in the design and delivery of planned services and interventions.

Accomplishments since Last COP During this period, Pact provided HIV-related institutional capacity building support to 18 organizations. These included six Pact grantees and one sub-partner; nine CARE sub-partner organizations; the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW); and the Steering Committee for the National Palliative Care Association.

Pact provided financial management capacity support to five partners (ADAAL, LCBC, MAMOTH, RSDA and SWAALES) in annual budget development. Partners were assisted to review previous annual budgets and learn from them, define budget parameters and construct understandable budget notes. Pact developed a budget preparation checklist, which was used to guide partners in their budget development to ensure that budgets are effective management tools throughout implementation.

Pact partner, CARE, supported its nine implementing partner organizations in basic financial management. Partners were assisted on how to maintain simple books of accounts to enable them account for their grants with CARE. Five of the nine partners were assisted to develop constitutions and open up bank accounts. Partners also received continued support on undertaking routine program tasks such as reviewing implementation plans, and the review of program documents and materials. CARE also trained 18 (M3, F15) members of its partner organizations in grants management and proposal writing. The training aimed at providing knowledge and strengthening partners' skills in grants management especially financial management as they are custodians of sub-grants.

Following an organizational capacity assessment (OCA), Pact assisted ADAAL and PB to review board governance structures with special attention placed on guidelines for board member appointment, roles and responsibilities for the board and management. The organizations were also assisted to capture their

financial records into computerized software of Pastel. Additionally, Pact also assisted ADAAL and SWAALES with review and management of their award bank accounts, including those for other donors. Key issues addressed were compliance with grants requirements, maintenance of proper internal controls, and segregation of duties.

Technical support was also given to six partner organizations (ADAAL, LCBC, LDL, PB, RSDA and SWAALES) to comply with TraiNet reporting requirements. Support focused on the financial component of the TraiNet form, and preparation of the cost share report, including supporting documents.

Pact, through APCA, provided technical support to the MOHSW and the country team for the National Palliative Care Association with regard to strengthening the existing palliative care policy. APCA worked with the two bodies to review the HIV/AIDS policy in the workplace and provide guidance on the inclusion of palliative care in this policy.

Pact provided guidance and technical oversight to four partners (ADAAL, LCBC, LDL, and RSDA) in the design, and adaptation of HIV and AIDS curricula. ADAAL, LCBC, and RSDA were supported to adopt the "Choose Life" curriculum for abstinence messaging, and "Keys to a Healthy Relationship" training curricula for faithfulness messaging. The methodology used in these manuals is closely aligned with Pact's approach to behavior change, which emphasizes the stages of change and the processes an individual must undergo for behavior change interventions to be successful. The manuals use interactive and participatory techniques such as stories and discussion questions to guide participants' understanding of sexuality and HIV/AIDS. These techniques help participants to discuss decision- making, peer pressure, family life, and body changes for youths, sexuality, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS.

Pact trained 125 individuals in HIV related institutional capacity building as follows: Pact trained 10 individuals from partner organizations in behavioral change barrier analysis. The training aimed at equipping partners with skills that would enable them to employ barrier analysis survey methodology and BEHAVE framework as basis for BCC message design. Pact also trained 4 individuals from three partner organizations in basic palliative care (3 these staffs also attended the barrier analysis training above). The training aimed at equipping participants with palliative care knowledge and skills to enable them improve their programs. Pact also trained 6 individuals from partner organizations in behavior change counseling and another 10 individuals in financial management. One of Pact's partners (CARE) trained 18 members of its sub-partner organizations in grants management and proposal writing. Another 80 individuals were trained by pact's partner IECS in HIV/AIDS in the workplace with the aim of facilitating small and medium enterprises to provide HIV services to their employees and families.

Pact also trained 22 individuals from 6 partner organizations in resource mobilization. The four days resource mobilization workshop aimed at improving participants' knowledge in the concept of resource mobilization for organizational sustainability, and strategies for resource diversification within organizations.

Goals and Strategies for the Coming Year

Activity 1 - Organizational capacity assessments and individualized capacity building plans: Pact will conduct organizational assessments by analyzing key areas of risk in organizational management including finance and strategic planning. Every year organizations will be reassessed to determine areas of weakness that have been addressed and outstanding issues that remain. Pact will work with each partner to develop a tailored plan that institutes a phased capacity building agenda based upon the results of the reassessments.

Activity 2 - Organizational development and capacity building interventions: Capacity building interventions include formal training and on-site customized mentoring, generally targeting strengthened financial management, accountability and monitoring systems. Other support includes human resource system development, good governance and resource mobilization. Pact will also provide targeted assistance and/or accesses external support for local partners based on priority need.

On-going organizational development (OD) support to partners includes training focused on building skills at levels of management, enhancing technical approaches and implementation. Pact will provide training to partners in:

Financial Management (3 day): offered annually for finance managers to address financial management principles, internal controls, reporting and documentation requirements, audit and accounting systems and processes.

Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers (2 day): newly developed course to assist non- financial staff, such as program directors and senior management, in understanding the role they play in managing program budgets and disbursements as part of monitoring responsibilities. The course covers understanding financial statements, projecting costs, monitoring variances and reviewing financial reports submitted to donors.

Grants Management Training (3 days): offered annually to assist grantees understanding and compliance with USAID regulations. Pact encourages program and finance staff from each organization to attend.

Project Management (3 day): offered to assist program managers in general program management i.e. planning, effective program reviews, budgeting, and program monitoring controls, leadership, communication, team building and motivational skills, targeting program managers and finance staff.

Resource Mobilization (3 day): offered to strengthen overall resource mobilization efforts, including fundraising, networking, and leveraging resources for sustainability. This course will target senior and program managers.

Volunteer Management (2 day): offered to assist organizations in developing a structure for volunteers that will define their job description, selection, training, supervision, and compensation. This will ensure uniformity of the volunteers within the program.

Activity 3 - Technical Assistance: Pact will ensure that partners are provided with assistance in assessing weakness and strengths of the technical aspects of their programs. All partners will receive direct one to one technical assistance in enhancing the design of their overall programs which will result in improved quality of service delivery. The technical assistance provided will also enable the partners to improve efficiency of their programs by identifying opportunities through which more clients can be reached with more services. This technical assistance will be provided through Pact's partnering with other technically resourced organization as well as through regional and international technical experts where required.

Activity 4 - Organizational Development Support to Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC); the Global Fund and the National AIDS Commission (NAC) recipients: Pact will expand its support beyond its USAID PEPFAR grant partners, to provide organizational capacity building services to recipients of grants from other development partners in Lesotho whenever possible. Pact's goal is to build institutional capacity to increase the effectiveness and capacity of these partners to achieve expanded and quality services while strengthening the management of their financial and human resources. The recipients will also attend Pact's various workshops relating to grants management, financial management, and financial management for non-financial managers, proposal writing, board training, basic MER training, and data quality management training.

Activity 5 - Network Strengthening Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), governments, and international donor agencies collaborate in networks and partnerships with visions of improving the delivery of social services and catalyzing transformative social change. Partner organizations expect benefits such as increased outreach to poor

communities, improved quality of services through more rapid development and dissemination of 'best practices', and greater efficiencies through resource-sharing and coordination of activities. The inherent value of collaboration seems to resonate deeply with board members, senior leaders, and staff members of these agencies, especially when faced with the scale of current social crises such as HIV/AIDS. In practice, however, performance can fall short of expectations, at times with such negative consequences that some NGOs have begun to abandon ideas of organizational partnership and collaboration altogether.

Pact will aim to support partners as they adopt more collaborative approaches in order to maximize leveraging of partnerships and resources, while mitigating potentially negative outcomes. Pact's approach will focus on building a strong, well-functioning civil society network at the national level who can advocate for improved policies and services for HIV/AIDS infected and affected Basotho. The national network will represent local NGO, CBO and FBO and serve on national Technical Working Groups and other technical committees expressing the interests and needs of all civil society.

Through strong grant making compliance and program monitoring mechanisms, Pact will strengthen capacity and service delivery within Lesotho's civil society to respond to the epidemic by expanding, improving, and replicating existing service and integrating new and complementary services into a well- coordinated response. Where practical, public-private alliance will be sought to bring together partners who will jointly define the problem, strategize a solution to capitalize on combined knowledge, skills expertise, and resources.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation Partner capacity building interventions are monitored through routine program performance reviews, capacity assessments, and feedback from beneficiaries and stakeholders (informal and formal). Administrative, financial, technical and organizational systems development capacities are evaluated at regular intervals of the grant period using various Pact capacity assessment tools. On-going document reviews and site visits checklists to assess standardization of processes in different program sites, level of service and change over time are also an important component of Pact's program monitoring and evaluation.

Funding for Sexual Prevention: Abstinence/Be Faithful (HVAB): $697,500

Pact is committed to implementing a sexual prevention program that that contributes to the achievement

of the goals of the Lesotho Partnership Framework (2009-2014); PEPFAR Strategy, and the Lesotho's National AIDS Strategy (2006-2011). Accomplishments Since Last COP Pact's partners implementing sexual prevention programs include: Anti Drug Abuse Association of Lesotho (ADAAL), CARE Lesotho, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Lesotho Catholic Bishops Conference (LCBC), Lesotho Durham Link (LDL), Phelisanang Bophelong (PB) and Rural Self-Help Development Association (RSDA). These partners cover seven districts of Lesotho including Berea, Maseru, Mokhotlong Mafeteng, Mahale's Hoek, Leribe, and Quthing districts. During the current COP period, partners have reached a total of 23,231 individuals with abstinence and being-faithful (AB) messages. 15,939 (M6,353, F8,686) of these were reached with abstinence only messages.

ADAAL implemented a school-based peer education program in 23 schools of Mafeteng, Mohale's Hoek and Quthing districts contributing a total of 9,776 (M3918, F5858) individuals. LCBC implemented outreach activities in Ketane community both at village and school level, reaching 6,842(M2,999, F3,843) individuals; while RSDA worked with 112 trained peer educators in 14 villages of Phamong region, Mohales' Hoek district reaching 3,860 (M1,617, F2,243) individuals with AB messages. LDL and CRS experienced delays in program implementation start-up, however, reached 651(M304, F347) youths and 1,240 (M484, F756) church members with abstinence messages in Berea and Maseru districts. CARE reached 862 (M360, F502) individuals from Leribe and Mokhotlong districts. Partners' sexual prevention outreach activities were guided by interactive, participatory manuals, adapted to meet the specific contextual needs of local programs. Manuals include factual information, stories and discussion questions to help facilitators guide beneficiaries' understanding of sexuality and HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention during group discussions in HIV/AIDS club meetings and classroom visits. Partners trained a total of 924 peer educators to promote HIV/AIDS prevention programs through AB: ADAAL - 71; CRS - 470; LCBC - 100; LDL - 126; RSDA - 112; CARE - 45. In addition, CRS and RSDA distributed 1,635 IEC materials, including 160 T-shirts and 1,475 posters and HIV group facilitators' manuals. A main challenge has been the slow pace of implementation by CRS and LDL, which is attributed to a lack of field level managerial support. Pact will continue to work with the two partners to accelerate program implementation in an appropriate manner to ensure that targets are met and program quality is not compromised. In addition, many partner programs are highly dependent on community volunteers with limited commitment to the program. The high turnover of volunteers negatively affects program implementation and sustainability. Some partner programs are located in remote, hard to reach areas undermining effective program supervision. Goals and Strategies for the Coming Year Pact will continue to support at least six partners (ADAAL, CARE, CRS, LCBC, LDL, and RSDA) working in 7 districts (Berea, Leribe, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Mafeteng, Quthing).

Pact's overall strategy is to capacitate civil society to implement focused sexual prevention programs that:

• Address social and structural factors influencing HIV risk and vulnerability in Lesotho • Prioritize key risk groups • Emphasize behavioral change instead of mere knowledge and awareness creation • Promote combination prevention through linkages with other HIV services

Pact will support partners to design and implement programs that not only address individual risk of targeted beneficiaries but also address societal factors that affect individual risk and vulnerability. Partners will undertake interventions to make school environments safer for girls, reduce harmful gender norms, and reduce alcohol and substance abuse. Others factors to be addressed include cross generational sex, transactional sex and multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP).

Program activities will be designed to facilitate behavior change. Beneficiaries will not only be provided with useful information on HIV/AIDS to increase their awareness, but also with the skills and motivation needed to adopt positive behaviors. Program activities are designed to involve regular contact with targeted beneficiaries though on-going support and guidance aimed at facilitating the adoption and continued application of adopted positive behavior over sustained time periods.

Youth aged 10-14 years will be targeted with interventions promoting abstinence and/or the delay of sexual initiation; individuals aged 15 years and above will be appropriately targeted with AB and MCP interventions. Most at risk groups, including street vendors, factory workers, sex workers, miners, and truck drivers, shall be targeted with special interventions aimed at increasing their access to HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment services. Partners' sexual prevention programs shall include interventions aimed at increasing community involvement in reducing the spread of HIV. Parents and guardians will be assisted to improve communication to youth about HIV/AIDS, as well as their supervisory role in relation to adolescents. Behaviour change interventions will be delivered through peer groups, media campaigns (radio, television, videos and related promotional materials), national events, community rallies and concerts. Prevention of sexual abuse activities will also supplement sexual prevention in communities by addressing sexual violence which contributes to HIV infection in Lesotho.

Partners' community outreach programs appropriately target specific audiences and age groups through the use of volunteer peer educators. Some partners implement school-based interventions targeting in- school youth and teachers, others implement village-based interventions targeting out-of school youth, congregational church members, and other community members. Volunteers receive on-going training and on-site support to ensure consistent quality program implementation.

Targeted beneficiaries are enrolled into HIV discussion groups and clubs, through which they are routinely reached with curriculum-based activities that are rich in relevant technical content and appropriate methodologies. Pact adapted the World Relief "Choose Life" training manual for abstinence message delivery and the Food for the Hungry "Keys to Healthy Relationships" manual for faithfulness message delivery. Pact chose these manuals based on the close alignment of methodologies with Pact's approach to behavior change, which focuses on the stages of change an individual must undergo for behavior change interventions to be successful. The manuals use interactive and participatory techniques such as stories and discussion questions to guide participants' understanding of sexuality and HIV/AIDS. Youth and adult groups provide fora for discussions and skills building, particularly around decision making, peer pressure, family life, and body changes for youths, sexuality and HIV/AIDS. Participatory learning approaches including games, role plays and stories to practice and help internalize positive behavior change are very useful in this regard. All Pact partners ensure that program volunteers are well trained for proper delivery of program activities especially the curricula that guides group activities. Supplementary training modules will also be used for further guidance on promoting abstinence and faithfulness while underlining involvement of parents/guardians in community HIV/AIDS activities, equipping beneficiaries with more life-skills and availing behavioral risks reduction options especially for youth who are undecided on abstinence.

Partners will also train program staff and community volunteers in behavior change counseling. A "Motivational Interviewing" (MI) curriculum will be used to impart basic behavior change counseling techniques to reinforce other behavior change activities. The curriculum helps trainees to discuss MI principals and techniques, recognizing resistance to behavior change and overcoming such resistance, as well as helping youth/adults create plans for behavior change.

Influential community members will be trained in prevention of sexual abuse using "Food for the Hungry Prevention of Sexual Abuse Curriculum". Influential adults are people who can develop policies, referral systems, and speak into the social systems that allow sexual abuse to happen. The training helps key influential individuals understand the concept of sexual abuse, link stories of sexual abuse to real life scenarios, identify abuse signs, as well as counseling skills to handle post-sexual abuse related trauma within communities. At program level, Quality Improvement and Verification Checklists (QIVCs) will be used by program management staff for support supervision of community-based trainers and peer educators. All partner programs will focus on ensuring linkages with other HIV services to foster complementarities and efficiency in service delivery. This may include providing access to HCT, PMTCT, male circumcision, and other appropriate services through collaborations and referrals.

Program Monitoring and Evaluation

Pact supports grantees to plan and budget for MER in their programs and to develop MER systems for tracking PEPFAR specific and other organizational indicators. Partners are trained in Basic MER principles and also provided on-going customized technical support to enable them to establish and maintain good MER systems. Partners are assisted in designing of appropriate results frameworks, data collection, and program monitoring formats and procedures for tracking program implementation. Pact further provides support to grantees in proper reporting, data analysis and routine program reviews, as well as the use of MER results to make timely program adjustments. Pact also undertakes focused studies to investigate areas of interest in partner programs that could produce valuable insights and learning.

Funding for Sexual Prevention: Other Sexual Prevention (HVOP): $232,500

Context and Background Lesotho has an estimated population of 1.88 million with 60% living below the poverty datum line (OVC National Action Plan: 2006), an estimated 180,000 of which are considered orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). Lesotho's National Strategic Plan (NSP 2006-2011) emphasizes is a need to increase percentage of AIDS orphans identified and accessing OVC services to 90% by 2011. Pact and partners are committed to implementing an OVC program that contributes to the achievement of the goals of the Lesotho Partnership Framework (2009-2014); PEPFAR Lesotho Strategy and the Lesotho's National AIDS Strategy (2006-2011). Accomplishments Since Last COP Pact, through partners, CARE and SWAALES, expanded their service coverage areas to include two new districts, Berea and Mokhotlong, in addition to continuing services in Maseru and Leribe. Pact partners served a total of 2,616 (M1,285, F1,331) OVCs and trained 28 individuals to provide OVC care and support (by end of June 2009) through targeted community driven programming. CARE served 1,717 (M847, F870) OVCs in Maseru, Mokhotlong and Leribe districts. OVCs received services including psychosocial support, preparation for death counseling, grief counseling, HIV and AIDS counseling, legal assistance for protection of property, access to birth and death certificate, treatment adherence, follow-up on immunizations and referrals to clinics. OVC households were also supported to establish homestead gardens to improve nutrition and for income generating opportunities. SWAALES served 899 (M438, F461) OVCs with supplementary feeding consisting of one meal a day for five days a week. Other services provided to OVCs included educational support (school fees, academic materials), psycho-social counseling, and follow-ups for treatment adherence for OVCs on ART, other medical support, and life skills education. OVCs are equipped with life skills for income generation including candle making, bead work, gardening (weeding, irrigation and making homestead vegetable

gardens). The main challenge facing OVC programming is the increasing number of orphans due to the HIV and AIDS pandemic and the vulnerability of girl children to exploitation and sexual abuse. In addition, caregivers often lack the requisite skills in psychosocial care and support to adequately address OVCs needs. A shortage of social welfare staff trained to provide necessary support, particularly in rural districts, exacerbates these problems and leaves many communities with underserved or unreached OVC.

Goals and Strategies for the Coming Year Pact's goal is to strengthen mechanisms for providing effective, community-based OVC services, focusing on those children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Pact is committed to improving the quality of life of OVC and to contributing to positive social and cultural norms that undermine the situation of OVCs in Lesotho. Partners programs focus on addressing community support and coordination to meet OVC needs, strengthen capacity of households and families to care for OVCs and improve the quality of OVC service delivery. Program target orphans younger than 18 years, particularly those orphaned due to HIV related causes, HIV positive children and most vulnerable children, such as girls subjected to exploitation and sexual abuse. Special emphasis is placed on OVCs in very remote areas with a shortage of trained social welfare staff. The program covers seven of the 10 districts of Lesotho including Berea, Leribe, Maseru, Mohale's hoek, Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Qachas Nek. Pact provides local community based organizations with technical and organizational development support to increase their capacity to effectively and efficiently reach OVCs. Pact supports partners to design and implement programs that address individual risk of targeted beneficiaries, as well as societal factors that affect vulnerability. Where possible, programs will link with relevant partner prevention activities, such as interventions to make school environments safer for girls, reduce harmful gender norms, and reduce alcohol and substance abuse. To mitigate issues of volunteer recruitment and retention, Pact provides volunteer management training and support to partners to provide on-going training, motivation, and on-site mentoring and supervision for effective program delivery. Pact OVC partners include: CARE Bokomaso, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Society for Women and Against AIDS in Africa - Lesotho (SWAALES). Pact's partners will focus on providing OVCs with care and support services, including basic psycho-social support, referrals for medical treatment, educational services, legal support, material support, supplementary feeding and building of life skills. Community volunteers will be trained in various OVC care and support components to equip them with necessary skills to assess and provide for OVC needs through home visits. CARE's integrated community home based care (ICHBC) and support program aims to strengthen the capacity of communities to support households affected by HIV and AIDS. CARE will work in partnership with CBOs in the districts of Thaba-tseka, Qacha's Nek, Mokhotlong, Leribe and Maseru. CAREs OVC

program aims to address the needs of children 0-17 years old made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. CARE provides its sub-partners with financial, technical and organizational capacity assistance required for them to deliver services to OVCs. A key feature of CARE's approach to OVC care and support is an emphasis on ensuring that not only the OVC, but the entire household benefits from home-based care services.

CARE's OVC package includes the following services: food and nutrition, educational support, material assistance, shelter, clothing, referral for health services, and legal support. In addition, OVC services will include basic psychosocial support, referral for medical treatment and educational assistance whenever necessary. CARE, through their partners, will train OVCs in life skills and income generating activities such as sewing, knitting, and carpentry so as to strengthen their economic capacity and that of their households. Other life skills activities include educative videos on HIV/AIDS prevention to encourage behavior change. Each caregiver will carry out door-to-door education sessions about basic facts on TB/HIV literacy for OVC households with TB/HIV-infected parents/guardians. This will be aimed at reducing possible spread and risk of infection at household levels. CARE, through CBOs, will refer OVC households to legal service providers whenever the need arises.

To ensure quality of service delivery, CARE will provide capacity building through trainings in relevant areas, technical support and quality monitoring and program oversight. OVC care givers will be empowered to monitor and track children's well-being, growth and development, hygiene, immunizations, identification of illnesses and ensure early referrals. Training will also be provided to caregivers in OVC care, rights of children, HIV risk and stigma reduction, psycho-social support, and counseling. CBO managers will also be equipped with skills to facilitate better management of OVC programs. Such skills will include: volunteer management, financial management, conflict management, MER, proposal writing, leadership, computer literacy and business management skills. CARE will ensure linkages with other stake holders and service providers to promote a holistic approach to addressing OVC needs. Other stakeholders may include government departments and ministries, influential community members, schools etc.

SWAALES will deliver quality care and support services to OVCs in thirteen villages of Berea, Maseru and Leribe districts. SWAALES' OVC program focuses on OVC through trained service providers by improving access to education, referrals for health services, and increasing OVC's access to basic social services including psychosocial support. SWAALES' program also aims to counter stigma and discrimination against OVC, and building life skills for OVCs and their guardians in order to contribute to the socio-economic welfare of OVC and reduction of child abuse in the communities. SWAALES' program provides direct support to OVCs, their caregivers, families and community members, and focuses on ensuring OVCs have basic needs and safe environment which is conducive to their

growth. OVCs are provided with supplementary feeding consisting of one meal a day for five days a week. OVC caregivers provide one-to-one basis mentoring, referrals and follow-ups with program beneficiaries and their households. At family level, the program supports OVC households (heads and/or guardians) in basic OVC care and support. To ensure quality programming, caregivers are trained to ensure proper assessment of OVC needs, identifying the need for referrals and follow up on referrals through home visits. SWAALES will train both its staff and caregivers in various OVC care and support components. Training will focus on counseling, prevention in sexual abuse, TB/HIV and AIDS literacy, psychosocial counseling, income generating skills, and basic hygiene. SWAALES will strive to improve its volunteer management strategy, focusing on improving retention and decreasing volunteer turn-over. Volunteers will receive monthly stipends and increased supportive supervision to its volunteers to enable them to meet the required standard of OVC service delivery. CRS' Mountain Orphan and Vulnerable Children Empowerment (MOVE) project targets OVC and OVC caregivers that live around health clinics supported by the Lesotho Flying Doctors Service (LFDS). There are currently nine health clinics located in the rural areas with potential access to 12,000 OVC in Thaba Tseka, Mohale's Hoek, districts. CRS will provide managerial and technical support in the MOVE project and actual implementation will be done by two local indigenous organizations namely Catholic Commission for Justice & Peace and Caritas Lesotho. Program activities include: basic psycho-social support, material assistance, referral of OVC for medical treatment and educational assistance, life skills and income generating activities, HIV prevention and child protection, and safety. The project works closely with the Ministry of Education and the Master of the High Court to ensure that existing curricula and resources for life skills education, psychosocial care and support, energy-saving technologies, peer education, IECCD, HIV prevention, child rights, and legal frameworks are the basis for the MOVE project's training and mobilization curricula. Like other partners, CRS will also train its caregivers in relevant program components to facilitate quality service delivery. Training will covers counseling, prevention in sexual abuse, TB/HIV and AIDS literacy, psychosocial counseling, income generating skills, and basic hygiene. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Pact supports grantees to plan and budget for MER in their programs and to develop MER systems for tracking PEPFAR specific and other organizational indicators. Partners are trained in Basic MER principles and also provided on-going customized technical support to enable them to establish and maintain good MER systems. Partners are assisted in designing of appropriate results frameworks, data collection, and program monitoring formats and procedures for tracking program implementation. Pact further provides support to grantees in proper reporting, data analysis and routine program reviews, as well as the use of MER results to make timely program adjustments. Pact also undertakes focused studies to investigate areas of interest in partner programs that could produce valuable insights and

learning.

Subpartners Total: $0
Anti-Drug Abuse Association Lesotho: NA
CARE International: NA
Lesotho Catholic Bishops Conference: NA
Phelisanang Bophelong: NA
Society for Women and AIDS: NA
To Be Determined: NA
Cross Cutting Budget Categories and Known Amounts Total: $460,000
Economic Strengthening $250,000
Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery $180,000
Gender: Gender Based Violence (GBV) $30,000