The Gorongosa EcoHealth Initiative is a public-private partnership (PPP) with the Goronogosa National Park (GNP). GNP is located in Sofala Province, which has a prevalence of HIV infection of 23%, and is near a major transportation corridor. Sofala province has one of the highest rates of orphans (both single and dual) orphans in the country, and 59% of children live in absolute poverty. The Gorongosa Restoration Project (GRP), formerly called the Carr Foundation, has a twenty year agreement with the GOM to restore GNP, focusing on wildlife conservation, ecotourism and human development in the Park and in the surrounding communities in the four bordering districts (i.e. Gorongosa, Nhamatanda, Muanza, Cheringoma). This PPP that is currently being jointly developed by USG, GRP, local government authorities, (i.e. DPS and SDSMAS of bordering districts) and local community-based organizations will capitalize on GNP's existing structures, services and linkages with communities and other agencies (e.g.

Mount Sinai University) to promote HIV prevention and mitigation strategies. Building the capacity of families and communities to care for OVC will be integrated into the Park's conservation activities, including sustainable natural resource based micro-enterprise development, community mobilization/education, and community-based resource management strategies.

Goal To preserve the health of the ecosystem and its inhabitants of the area in and around Gorongosa National Park (GNP)

Objectives 1) To prevent new HIV infections in communities living in the GNP buffer zone and GNP park employees; 2) To strengthen the linkages between communities and health facilities; 3) To improve livelihoods of caregivers and families affected by HIV through ecologically sustainable income-generating activities linked to the GNP.

GRP's project will directly contribute to the following goals of the Partnership Framework: Goal 1: By reducing sexual transmission of HIV (Obj. 1.1) and by increasing geographic coverage and improving facility-community linkages for CT and PMTCT services (Obj 1.2 & 1.3); Goal 2: By utilizing innovative approaches to mobilize additional resources (Obj 2.2) and to engage private-sector partners (Obj 2.3) for HIV services; Goal 5: By increasing access to a continuum of HIV care services through better community-facility linkages (Obj 5.1) and by strengthening the economic capacity of vulnerable families and individuals through income generating activities (Obj 5.5).

GRP's EcoHealth Initiative will target the buffer zone communities surrounding in the four surrounding districts in Sofala Province. Prevention activities will target the general population living in these communities in addition to the GNP's 400+ employees. Economic strengthening activities will target individual older OVC, families caring for OVC, and caregiver groups living near Mount Gorongosa.

The Initiative will strengthen health systems by improving facility-community linkages and by mobilizing additional resources for public health services. This activity will also impact the following cross-cutting programs: Economic Strengthening The EcoHealth Initiative will improve the livlihoods of older OVC, families caring for OVC, and caregiver groups by expanding its sustainable micro-enterprise development program linked to GNP's activities (e.g. honey production, agroforestry) on Mount Gorongosa.

Food & Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery The livlihoods component of the Initiative will focus on improved nutrition through basic nutritional education and counseling and the promotion of locally appropriate, nutritious foods.

Gender The Initiative will promote gender equity by encouraging female participation in income-generating activities (at least 50% of participants will be women), and by addressing gender specific barriers to HIV services (e.g. encouraging male involvement in antenatal care (ANC) and counseling and testing (CT).

The EcoHealth Initiative will use the following strategies to become more cost efficient over time: 1) Mobilizing significant private-sector resources for HIV service delivery. As part of the requirements for a PPP, GRP will provide at least a one-to-one match USG resources through its in-kind and/or cash contribution. By linking HIV activities to the Park's agricultural extension program and mobile clinic, this PPP will leverage significant wrap around resources in the areas of child survival, family planning, malaria and safe motherhood. This partnership will be sure to capitalize on its unique strategic advantages, including its staff, services, structures and unique, enduring relationships with communities; 2) Adapting promising practices and lessons learned from other initiatives in Mozambique and internationally, rather than "reinventing the wheel"; 3) Strengthening linkages with public health services and taking full advantage of the facility- and community-based services in the target area; 4) Integrating HIV service delivery into the long-term conservation strategy of GNP to ensure scale-up and sustainability of the Initiatives activities.

GRP, USG and implementing partners will develop a joint M&E plan that will monitor progress in relation to the HIV prevention and mitigation objectives set above. Reporting systems will be established to track the number of persons reached through the mobile clinic, community education and productive activities. GRP and USG will ensure that reporting systems are harmonized with the national system and avoid duplication to the greatest extent possible.

Gorongoza Restoration Project (GRP) is developing sustainable natural resource-based micro- enterprises linked to the Gorongoza National Park's (GNP) activities (e.g. honey production, agroforestry) on Mount Gorongosa. Carr Foundation will ensure that a portion of these activities will directly target older orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and family members, while linking productive activities (e.g. food, income) to community care groups. These activities will focus on improved nutrition and increased income for target households. Training components will include basic education and counseling for psychosocial support, utilization of locally appropriate, nutritious foods, and hygiene & sanitation. These activities will be linked with clinical and community care providers in the nearby communities.

GRP currently runs a mobile clinic in partnership with the SDSMAS of Gorongosa, and will ensure that basic health care is provided to OVC in the 16 communities reached by the clinic in the Parks' buffer zone. Likewise, the Portuguese Government development agency (IPAD) has financed the construction of the Community-Education Center (CEC) within the park limits and with easy access to various communities in the park's buffer zone. GRP will use this resource as a means to educate and mobilize communities to promote the care of OVC by integrating HIV mitigation strategies into health & conservation trainings targeting school teachers, health personnel, community-leaders and GNP staff.

Community conservation capacity building efforts, which include PLHIV and OVC, will be sure to incorporate an HIV mitigation component and will take into account new social structures caused by HIV in the community. HIV mitigation will also be integrated into the Community Development Committees being catalyzed by GNP in the buffer zone communities as part of its conservation efforts to ensure that communities continue to take the lead in caring for OVC.

GRP will also pilot a bicycle ambulance program in 16 buffer zone communities to strengthen the linkage between these communities and health facilities.

Prevention efforts will be integrated with conservation/health and will target GNP staff, school teachers, health personnel, community-leaders and traditional healers in buffer zone communities. Interpersonal communication activities will educate individuals about HIV risks, self perception of risk and locus of control, and will promote messages on reducing MCP, increasing condom use and increasing service uptake of CT and other health and HIV services. HIV prevention topics will raise awareness about sero- discordancy and positive prevention. Community conservation capacity building efforts will be sure to incorporate an HIV component and will address increased vulnerabilities that may result from the park's rehabilitation. HIV prevention will also be integrated into the Community Development Committees being catalyzed by GRP in the buffer zone communities to promote prevention and community mobilization to mitigate the impact of HIV on communities. HIV prevention education will also be integrated into the economic strengthening training conducted through GRP's sustainable natural resource-based micro-enterprise program, which will target primarily women. GRP currently runs a mobile clinic in partnership with the SDSMAS of Gorongosa, and will ensure that HIV prevention, counseling, testing and follow-up services are integrated into the primary health care outreach offered by the clinic and will increase male uptake of CT and ANC services. GRP is completing the construction of a Community-Education Center (CEC) that will serve as a valuable community education resource. Likewise, a health Peace Corps volunteer with USG experience will be posted at the CEC as of January 2010 to help coordinate the GRP's HIV prevention outreach.

GRP will also create an HIV work place policy to support peer-based work place prevention programs and services. GRP will seek and adapt existing IEC materials and curricula rather than developing new materials. To address sustainability, GRP will also use these funds to build community-level capacity to mobilize community-centered, integrated conservation/prevention efforts. GRP will actively link with prevention efforts implemented by other partners in the four districts.