This activity relates to HVOP (7229) and HVCT (7231).

PSI and the DMS work together to promote HIV prevention among members of the RDF. Soldiers' living situation, mobility and age make them vulnerable to HIV. While many soldiers practice sexual abstinence and fidelity, the distance from their families and spouses can make it difficult to maintain stable relationships. A KAP survey conducted by PSI in 2004 (in Gitarama, Butare and Kigali-rural brigades) indicated that out of 1,171 soldiers, 60% were single, and 90% were aged between 20 and 34.

In FY 2006, this program reached over 10,000 members of the RDF with primary prevention messages. Soldiers are encouraged to abstain and be faithful while they are away from their spouses and partners. Prevention of alcohol abuse and the links between alcohol use, risky behaviors and violence are addressed in the peer education trainings and through IEC materials. AB messages are delivered as part of PSI's overall military program. According to a KAP survey conducted in 2004, 4.3% of 1,171 soldiers had abstained from sex during their lifetime. Consequently, it is important to promote AB as a stand-alone campaign with the goal of reducing the number of sexual partners per soldier to zero or one.

In FY 2007, these activities will reach 15,000 members of the RDF with prevention messages. PSI, in collaboration with the DMS, will implement an AB campaign and continue to provide trainings and TA to anti-AIDS-clubs and peer educators. The peer educators and TOT will be trained in ABC prevention messages that address the links between HIV, alcohol use and violence. PSI will train 142 peer educators to promote ABC messages, stressing AB or C to different sub-groups within the RDF based on KAP research and segmentation of the target population. The peer educators will encourage married members of the RDF who live far away from their families to practice abstinence while on duty at the same time being faithful to their spouses. An interpersonal and mass media communication strategy will be employed in order to reach both primary and secondary (spouses and partners of soldiers) target audiences. Peer educators will emphasize the benefits of abstinence in terms of professional future and moral and cultural values. By FY 2008, the EP will reach all military personnel with prevention messages.

These activities addresses the key legislative issues of gender, especially male norms, and stigma reduction. The activity supports the Rwanda EP five-year strategy by collaborating with the GOR to implement prevention activities for the military.

This activity relates to HVAB (7230) and HVCT (7231).

PSI and the DMS work together to promote HIV prevention among members of the RDF. Soldiers' living situation, mobility and age make them vulnerable to HIV. While many soldiers practice sexual abstinence and fidelity, the distance from their families and spouses can make it difficult to maintain stable relationships. A KAP survey conducted by PSI in 2004 (in Gitarama, Butare and Kigali-rural brigades) indicated that out of 1,171 soldiers, 60% were single, and 90% were aged between 20 and 34. The DMS distributes about 1,000,000 condoms to soldiers annually.

In FY 2006, this program reached at least 15,000 members of the RDF with primary prevention messages, including condom use and prevention of alcohol abuse and GBV. The program selects lower-level military leaders as TOTs, starting with section commanders and leaders of anti-AIDS-clubs, with the aim of promoting "condom preparedness" during parades and briefing moments. However, there is still a need to address the stigma associated with condom use. PSI and the DMS will promote correct and consistent condom use among the military.

In FY 2007, these activities will continue and PSI will provide TA to the DMS and the brigades to establish and build capacity of local anti-AIDS-clubs to promote safer sexual behaviors, including balanced prevention messages. PSI will train 100 anti-AIDS-club members as peer educators to promote correct and consistent condom use and to address the link between alcohol, sexual risky behaviors and GBV. By transferring skills and competencies in ABC messaging to anti-AIDS-clubs at brigade level, PSI will strengthen local capacity and decentralization of HIV service delivery and prevention (via BCC) within the military system. This program will reach at least 20,000 members of the RDF with prevention messages.

PSI will provide technical assistance to the DMS, the medical brigade doctors and representatives of the anti-AIDS-clubs to develop a series of short movies to demonstrate correct condom use, discuss the stigma of acquiring condoms (in military and non-military settings), promote condom negotiation skills with partners, and demonstrate how alcohol use can lead to negative consequences. This program will also use IEC materials that promote condom use by demonstrating and outlining all of the reasons for using condoms with regular and non-regular partners. During military mobile CT events (both inside and around military camps), the implementer will present educational films and then lead open discussions with the anti-AIDS-clubs on the barriers and solutions to condom use, using a Q&A approach, condom demonstrations, competitions, role-plays and sketches specific to the military. By FY 2008, the EP aims to reach all military personnel with prevention messages.

These activities address the key legislative issues of gender, especially male norms, and stigma reduction. The activity supports the Rwanda EP five-year strategy by collaborating with the GOR to implement prevention activities for the military.

This activity is related to activities in HVOP (7229), HVAB (7183, 7230), and HVCT (8167).

Under this activity, PSI/Rwanda and the Directorate of Military Services (DMS) will work together to promote HIV prevention among members of the RDF. While many soldiers practice sexual abstinence and fidelity, their living situation, mobility, and age make them vulnerable to HIV transmission. For married soldiers, the distance from their families and spouses can make it difficult to maintain stable relationships. A 2004 KAP survey conducted by PSI/Rwanda indicated that 60% of soldiers were young and single and 90% were aged between 20 and 34. The GOR estimates that the Rwandan military is made up of 25,000-30,000 soldiers, 80% of whom are deployed in hard-to-reach areas with minimal access to CT and HIV treatment services.

In FY 2006, this program is reaching at least 10,000 members of the RDF with mobile CT services to under served, hard-to-reach soldiers by providing military-specific CT services through a mobile outreach unit. An integrated mobile CT unit and a mobile video unit travel to each of the RDF's 12 brigades. Advance visits employ the mobile video unit to sensitize and prepare the soldiers for testing days and the CT team returns shortly thereafter to conduct counseling and testing. The CT team returns to the brigade as many times as necessary to satisfy the demand for testing and confirm test results.

In FY 2007, these activities will reach 7,500 members of the RDF and their spouses, family members, and/or sexual partners. Partners will be reached through their husbands and through the existing structures of the military such as women's associations. Counseling messages will emphasize prevention, including abstinence and fidelity, alcohol reduction, GBV sensitization, disclosure of test results, and follow-up care.

In close collaboration with DMS, PSI will improve the referral system for soldiers testing positive by drafting a military policy on HIV referrals to ensure soldiers' access to care and treatment services. This program will promote care and support services available to the Rwandan military through BCC activities, providing a link between community services and clinical services. CHAMP will target military communities with care and support services, especially for the OVC of military members. PSI will also establish post-test clubs in each brigade or battalion to provide psychosocial care and support to HIV-positives, to follow-up on referrals, to fight stigma and discrimination, and to promote behavior change and safe sexual practices.

PSI/Rwanda, in collaboration with Drew University and DMS, will establish a database for HIV case management in the RDF. PSI will assist the DMS in data entry and analysis of CT and HIV prevalence. This will ensure stronger linkages between mobile CT service delivery, referrals and follow-up for people testing HIV-positive. It will also help determine future need for HIV prevention outreach activities.

Capacity building of the DMS and health units at the brigade level is a key focus area in FY 2007. This will strengthen the competencies and skills of DMS technical staff at the central and brigade level to implement, coordinate, and monitor mobile CT program and HIV prevention activities. This strategy will facilitate and strengthen decentralization of HIV/AIDS service delivery within the military system. Measures to build capacity will include formal trainings and ongoing technical assistance for the brigade level staff in the following areas: high quality CT service delivery, use and analysis of client intake forms, data management (MIS), QA and mystery client surveys, supervision of CT counselors, referral systems, BCC and peer education activities, and impact monitoring to measure behavior changes in the military. Another strategy to build local capacity will be to hire and train local CT counselors to provide the mobile services and ensure linkage with HIV/AIDS service delivery sites. PSI will continue to supervise and control the quality of service delivery. PSI will work closely with Drew University to strengthen the capacity at the brigade level in those areas.

PFSCM will procure HIV test kits and supplies for this activity. PSI will work with PFSCM and district pharmacies to ensure adequate inventory monitoring and tracking systems for the test kits.

This activity supports the EP five-year strategy through sustainability, providing focused prevention activities in the military and scaling-up CT services.