Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Details for Mechanism ID: 11018
Country/Region: Lesotho
Year: 2013
Main Partner: U.S. Peace Corps
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: Other USG Agency
Funding Agency: enumerations.Peace Corps
Total Funding: $0

Peace Corps/Lesotho (PC/L) will continue its support of the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan of the Government of Lesotho (GoL) and the PEPFAR Partnership Framework by contributing to the reduction of HIV incidence, providing high quality OVC services, improving human resource capacity and strengthening the health system in all 10 districts. PC/L will train all of its approximately 60 Volunteers in the Community Health and Economic Development (CHED) and Education projects and their counterparts to promote behavior change related to sexual prevention. PCV will also support the GoLs PMTCT goals through community mobilization.

Through the recruitment of 15 PEPFAR-funded 2-year Volunteers, PC/L will expand its activities in the areas of human capacity development and health systems strengthening. PC/L will assist local HIV/AIDS umbrella groups by building their organizational capacity and expanding their outreach efforts. Volunteers will promote the development of life skills among young people and address behavior change related to multiple concurrent partners among adults. They will also teach, coach and mentor OVCs using a Life Skills curriculum; create linkages between OVC services and underserved communities; and assist with establishing programs and support mechanisms for keeping OVCs in school. PCV will help promote PMTCT among community members. These 15 PCV will be strategically linked to USG implementing partners in Lesotho to strengthen community-based interventions.

PC/L will continue to support activities through Volunteer Activity Support and Training (VAST) in the areas of other prevention and basic health care and support for people living with HIV. They will also work with PLWA groups at the district level to help organize income generating activities.

Funding for Care: Orphans and Vulnerable Children (HKID): $0

In all 10 districts, Peace Corps/Lesotho (PC/L) Volunteers work with OVC (boys and girls under 18 years) in their communities to develop life skills (including HIV prevention skills), create income generating activities and household gardens and link them to other GoL social welfare programs. Some Volunteers work with local leaders to ensure that accurate records of OVCs in the community are kept.

In FY12, PC/L will recruit 15 PEPFAR-funded Volunteers for the Community Health and Economic Development (CHED) project. These Volunteers will contribute to strengthening the health system by developing human resources in clinics and communities and strengthening linkages and coordination between communities and HIV and AIDS service organizations, particularly those addressing the needs of OVC. PC/L also plans to support the MOHSWs efforts to improve data collection and monitoring and evaluation by coaching data clerks at the clinic level.

To ensure quality, PC/L partners with local and international organizations, such as Kick4Life, PSI, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, C-Change, and PHELA Development and Communications to train Volunteers and their counterparts using evidence-based curricula to disseminate prevention messages through mass media, interpersonal communications. Volunteers activities are monitored by PC/L staff through site visits and quarterly reporting.

Funding for Sexual Prevention: Other Sexual Prevention (HVOP): $0

In all 10 districts Peace Corps/Lesotho (PC/L) Volunteers collaborate with the MOHSW and the Ministry of Education on age-appropriate HIV prevention at the individual, small group and community levels with in-and out-of-school youth under the age of 24. The approximately 60 PC Volunteers in the Community Health and Economic Development (CHED) and Education projects work with counterparts and young people to form youth clubs, organize sports tournaments, and hold youth empowerment camps as ways to develop life and leadership skills among young people, educate them about HIV prevention and promote gender equality. Volunteers will contribute to strengthening the health system by developing human resources in clinics and communities and strengthening linkages and coordination between communities and HIV and AIDS service organizations. In addition, PEPFAR funds will continue to be set aside for small grants for community-initiated prevention projects.

PC/L focuses on addressing the major driver of the epidemic in the country, multiple and concurrent partnerships (MCP), by training Volunteers and their counterparts to support the One Love campaign and raise awareness in their communities on the risks of having MCPs, engaging in transactional sex and trans-generational sex, and couples living apart for extended periods. Volunteers will also continue to help communities address male norms and gender-based violence through the Men As Partners program, and promote prevention among PLWA. Volunteers will also mobilize communities increase uptake of HIV testing and counseling in ANC settings.

To ensure quality, PC/L partners with local and international organizations, such as Kick4Life, PSI, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, and PHELA Development and Communications train Volunteers and their counterparts using evidence-based curricula to disseminate prevention messages through mass media, interpersonal communications. Activities will be implemented in sites with PCV presence, currently in all 10 districts in Maseru.

Key Issues Identified in Mechanism
Implement activities to change harmful gender norms & promote positive gender norms
Increase gender equity in HIV prevention, care, treatment and support
Increasing women's access to income and productive resources
Increasing women's legal rights and protection