This activity expands SMA's FY07 HIV/AIDS AB prevention program, PolAction, with the Namibian Police

under the Ministry of Safety and Security (MOSS). There are many gaps in understanding the drivers of

Namibia's HIV epidemic, but existing data set analysis strongly suggests that within a generalized epidemic,

there are geographic hotspots and most at-risk populations (MARP) which include the uniform services.

Within Namibia's hyper-epidemic geographic hotspots, the minimum prevention service package includes

BCC focused on outreach services to MARPs, CT, targeted media, condom distribution, STI screening and

treatment, and referrals to prevention, care and treatment services.

SMA has been working with the Namibian police force since 2005, implementing HIV/AIDS AB prevention

program in all 13 regions of Namibia. In FY 2008 SMA intends to continue to build the Capacity of the

MOSS to eventually transfer ownership of the PolAction program to the Namibian police force, and harness

existing structures to implement the program. The main program objective is to reach 7,500(62.5% of the

total police force) police men and women with HIV prevention activities. Target messages will emphasize

the benefits and importance of faithfulness and respect within relationships, the risks of multiple concurrent

partnering, one of the main drivers of Namibia's epidemic, and other risky behaviors, including cross

generational, commercial and transactional sex relationships. Other target messages include the role of

alcohol abuse and unhealthy male norms and behaviors and other risky behaviors. This program will link to

SMA's HVOP program, ensuring that the target audience receives a comprehensive package of prevention

messages, includes CT, treatment for STIs, correct and consistent condom use, and referrals to care and

treatment services.

In partnership with the MOSS, SMA will finalize the MOSS' HIV/AID Policy, which started in FY07 The

policy will promote HIV/AIDS programs and guide implementation throughout the Ministry. SMA will utilize

two types of communication channels for HIV prevention activities; peer educators; and police force

chaplains, supported by the regional commanders. The chaplains and regional commanders will be the

main advocates for the AB messages. Currently, the police force has two chaplains and the MOSS will

recruit and additional ten chaplains to cover all the thirteen regional stations. The MOSS has thirteen

regional commanders. SMA will schedule sensitization sessions with chaplains and regional commanders to

seek their support to promote and reinforce the AB messages in the police. SMA will build the capacity of

chaplains to promote accurate and high quality HIV/AIDS AB prevention messages, and SMA will develop

supporting fact sheets as tools for the chaplains. The chaplains themselves will identify fora for promoting

HIV AB prevention, which might include marriage counseling and church sermons. The chaplains will also

promote services related to HIV/AIDS, including counseling and testing (and especially couple counseling),

STI screening and treatment, PMTCT, and care and treatment services. SMA will facilitate the development

of community referral directories within catchment area of individual police stations and bases. Chaplains

will direct police women and men to these services, with the aid of service promotional cards, and support

them during referral follow up. SMA will also work with the top police leadership to identify their own HIV AB

prevention capacity building needs. This might include field visits within the country to observe PolAction

programs in other bases. Regional Commanders will then integrate HIV AB prevention into their ongoing

activities, including parades and weekly meetings.

SMA will strengthen the peer education program in FY 2008. The police will identify additional peer

educators, which might include police counselors, and SMA estimates that the organization will support 6 to

8 peer educators at each police station. SMA will review the peer education curriculum developed in FY

2007 based on a training needs assessment. Together with the police, SMA will review the roles and

responsibilities, as well as the manuals that outline the step-by-step process for implementing different

types of peer-educator-led activities. Interpersonal communications (IPC) sessions generally last 30

minutes, and peer educators distribute educational materials and condoms not for AB during these

sessions. The peer educators will also support the above-mentioned referral system, and assist with the

monitoring of referrals as feasible. SMA will also coordinate integration of expert speakers from institutions

like the Department of Gender Welfare and the Legal Assistance Center into the activities in consultation

with the gender and welfare desk in the MOSS.

Police members living with HIV (PLWHA) will reinforce the PolAction program by giving testimonials during

IPC sessions, and providing counseling services to other PLWHA. SMA will provide additional counseling

and referral support to these soldiers. SMA will support the formation of support groups within the bases

where appropriate.

Reinforcement of mass media with interpersonal communication activities is critical for scale-up and depth

of impact. SMA will work with other USG supported partners working in mass media communications to

integrate all interpersonal messages with the larger national mass media campaigns such as Take Control

and Positive Living around prevention, alcohol, and gender norms (activity 4048.08). They will also work

with Nawa Life Trust to support and distribute the Positive Living campaign care guide. The SMA and

PolAction team will provide training in age-relevant gender sessions from the Men and HIV curriculum

(activity 12342.08). There will be a deliberate effort to strengthen this partnership to ensure gender equity

and address male norms and behavior that result in sexual violence and coercion. Positive role models in

the police will be identified and supported with advocacy training for gender equity and positive male norms

and behavior. SMA will also receive technical support in the design, implementation, quality assurance,

monitoring and evaluation of behavior change communications (activity 16501.08), and mainstreaming

alcohol and substance abuse messages into the PolAction program (activity 17061.08).

During FY08, SMA will work closely with the MOSS and the police force to strengthen intervention quality.

SMA and the police will map peer education activities in the camps and bases to guide quality and

coverage. SMA-supported PolAction coordinators will continue to provide on site- supportive supervise the

peer education program, but expand quality assurance monitoring to include the participation of chaplains

and Regional Commanders. SMA will develop a simple activity checklist and referral monitoring tool to be

used by the chaplains and regional commanders. To ensure effective coordination and implementation SMA

will hold meetings with the Chaplains and Regional Commanders on a periodic basis to coordinate and

assess the quality of program. SMA will also work with the police to develop the appropriate supervisory

structures and develop an effective and comprehensive management information system MIS. To ensure

sustainability this program will be presented to the MOSS through the Inspector General, and other relevant

police authorities, for buy-in and support.

Activity Narrative: The PolAction program is co-funded by Global Fund. Resources leveraged from Global Fund include staff

salaries, travel, production of IEC materials and program support.

This activity expands SMA's FY07 HIV/AIDS OP prevention program with most at risk populations (MARP).

There are many gaps in understanding the drivers of Namibia's HIV epidemic, but the analysis of data sets

from the Demographic Health Surveys, VCT client intake surveys, and Nawa Life Trust's Household

Surveys strongly suggests that within a generalized epidemic, there are geographic hotspots and most at-

risk populations (MARP). Within Namibia's hyper-epidemic geographic hotspots, the minimum prevention

service package includes BCC focused on outreach services to MARPs, CT, targeted media, condom

distribution, STI screening and treatment, and referrals to prevention, care and treatment services.

SMA has been working in HIV prevention targeted to MARPs since 2005. These include transport workers,

informal and commercial fishermen, informal traders, people engaged in informal sexual relationships, and

border populations. The geographic areas targeted are Walvis Bay, Oshikango, Ohangwena Region,

Katima Mulilo Caprivi Region and Rundu in Kavango Region. The program's main objective is to reach

27,500 MARPs with HIV prevention activities. Target messages will emphasize the risks of multiple

concurrent partnering, one of the main drivers of Namibia's epidemic, including cross generational, informal

and transactional sexual relationships. Other target messages include consistent and correct condom use,

and the role of alcohol abuse and unhealthy male norms and behaviors and other risky behaviors. The

target audiences will receive a comprehensive package of prevention messages, includes CT, treatment for

STIs, and referrals to care and treatment services.

The Namibian police force is another key MARP with whom SMA has been working since 2005,

implementing HIV/AIDS AB and OP prevention program in all 13 regions of Namibia. In FY 2008 SMA

intends to continue to build the Capacity of the MOSS to eventually transfer ownership of the PolAction

program to the Namibian police force, and harness existing structures to implement the program. The main

program objective is to reach 7,500(62.5% of the total police force) police men and women with HIV OP

prevention activities. Target messages will emphasize the risks of multiple concurrent partnering, one of the

main drivers of Namibia's epidemic, and other risky behaviors, including cross generational, and

transactional sex relationships. Other target messages include consistent and correct condom use during

high risk sexual encounters, screening and treatment for STIs, the role of alcohol abuse, and male norms

and behaviors that contribute to the transmission of HIV. This program will link to SMA's HVAB program

(ref: 3072.08), ensuring that the target audience receives a comprehensive package of prevention

messages. Please refer to SMA's HVAB narrative for a comprehensive description of the PolAction

program.

During previous COP years, and in partnership with the now finished Regional Corridors of Hope program,

SMA verified and mapped the hotspots for each cadre of MARP through qualitative assessments. During

FY08, SMA will continue to update their data on the estimated number of people within each MARP

category and specific targets for each MARP within the geographic areas in which SMA operated. Through

a data for decision making continuous process, SMA will continue to analyze the information required to

tailor and update the most effective MARP-specific intervention. In addition, SMA will continue to engage

stakeholders via community meetings in MARP interventions, which will include the National Shebeen

Association, the Walvis Bay Corridor Group, and the Traditional Leaders Council.

The main interpersonal communications (IPC) activities, specific to each target group, will include

community mobilization for behavior change communications and services, and distribution of materials and

condoms. SMA will adopt materials from other partners like NawaLife, especially for alcohol and care and

treatment. In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS), SMA will develop a

condom distribution strategy and distribute the ministry's "Smile" brand condom through IPC and community

mobilization. Condom distribution will also occur through designated outlets which will be manned by

hotspot stakeholders. Contact with MARPs will place special emphasis on the service delivery linkages

available like CT, STI diagnosis and care, PMTCT, home based care and ART services. Therefore, for each

hot spot, SMA will facilitate the mapping of service to engage the multi-directional use of prevention, care

and treatment services. SMA will coordinate mapping with the USG team's wider effort in mapping and GIS

(FY07 activity). Other support services that will be considered for the referral networks will include

increasing access to income generation activities for young women at risk of HIV and susceptible to multiple

sexual relationships through partnership with Project Hope and other related organizations (ref: 8025.08).

Reinforcement of mass media messages with interpersonal communications activities is critical for scale-up

and depth of impact. SMA will work with other USG supported partners working in mass media

communications to integrate all interpersonal messages with the larger national mass media campaigns

such as Take Control and Positive Living around prevention, alcohol, and gender norms. They will also work

with Nawa Life Trust (NLT) (5690.08) to support and distribute the Positive Living campaign care guide.

SMA will provide training in MARP-specific gender sessions from the Men and HIV curriculum (ref:

8030.08). There will be a deliberate effort to strengthen this partnership to ensure gender equity and

address male norms and behavior that result in sexual violence and coercion. SMA will also receive

technical support in the design, implementation, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation of behavior

change communications (ref: 12326.08), and mainstreaming alcohol and substance abuse messages into

the PolAction program (ref: 17061.08).

SMA regional coordinators will be in charge of activities supported by health educators. Each region will

have a minimum of two health educators depending on number of hotspots and the nature of outreach

activities; however SMA will identify and train peer educators among the different categories of the MARPs

to work with the health educators. SMA will also utilize community leaders to assist with prevention

programming, including religious and traditional leaders.

SMA will partner with the current initiatives in the community like the Community Action Forums of

NawaLife, the Alliance of Mayors and Municipal Leaders on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Synergies for partnership

and collaboration will be identified and strengthened. To ensure proper implementation of the above

activities, SMA will develop simple tools like checklists to assess the impact of above activities, and train

MARPs stakeholders, such as religious and traditional leaders, to use these tools. To ensure effective

coordination and implementation, SMA will hold meetings on a periodic basis with religious and traditional

leaders and other MARP stakeholders to communicate the progress of the program.

To support all these activities and ensure effective implementation, SMA will develop a comprehensive

Management Information System (MIS) which will include a work plan and monitoring and evaluation plan.

Activity Narrative: To strengthen the quality of activities to be implemented SMA will develop a system for quality assurance.

This will include set parameters for minimum and maximum standards, defined in terms of targets and

impact. Information from assessments tools like training assessments, peer education tools and checklists

will feed into the program through a data for decision making process. SMA will use these assessments to

identify gaps, challenges and assess impact of the program on a continuous basis. All tools and systems

will be reviewed on a quarterly basis to assess relevance and appropriateness in capturing important

information that will inform the program. SMA staff will also work with the peer educators, chaplains and

community leaders to assess quality of IPC activities. Periodic partnership meetings will be conducted to

review the progress of the program, focusing on quality and coverage.