INTEGRATED ACTIVITY FLAG:

This activity is a component of a comprehensive prevention education, care and treatment program for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with 20-200 employees and other workplaces in South Africa. It includes activities in CT, Policy Analysis and Systems Strengthening, and Condoms and Other Prevention.

SUMMARY:

With an estimate of 12.3 million learners in South Africa, served by 386,600 teachers and more than 26,000 schools managing a response to HIV and AIDS across the education sector requires a comprehensive and substantial effort. Efforts must include a focus on both learners and educators if the impact of HIV is to be mitigated; and it must be recognized that any efforts focused on learners via the education sector cannot succeed without educators also being addressed. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) will implement a comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace program for the education sector of South Africa.

BACKGROUND:

ELRC is a statutory council which serves the South African education sector nationwide and is comprised of the public sector, the national and provincial departments of education, the private sector and teacher unions representing all primary and secondary public school educators. The ELRC works as an interface between the Department of Education (DOE) and labor organizations for labor peace and a vision of contributing towards the transformation and development of a quality South African public education system. A 2005 Health of Our Educators Report found that 50% of all teacher attrition is linked to complications of HIV and AIDS, resulting in 4000 teachers being lost each year due to AIDS. The general prevalence rate among educators was found to closely parallel that of the national population with an estimate of 12.7% of all DOE employed educators living with HIV. Based on the findings of this report and with FY 2007 PEPFAR funding ELRC will implement a project in 3 South African provinces to educators living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. The target group for this project is teachers, including those living with HIV or those who have family members living with HIV. This is a workplace intervention with minor emphasis areas in information, education and communication, community mobilization, and the development of linkages and networks. A particular focus of this project is the greater involvement of people with AIDS. ELRC will work with HIV positive teachers to ensure they can serve as role models to fellow teachers and to learners.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

ACTIVITY 1: Development of Workplace Prevention Education

PEPFAR funds will be used to support the development of a comprehensive education sector prevention program targeting teachers and education sector union members. Funds will also be used to support workplace prevention education programs targeting the health and education sector. With funding from PEPFAR, these workplace programs will conduct training sessions for employers, senior management, senior union leadership and employees on the basic facts of HIV transmission, prevention, and impact of HIV and AIDS on the industry. Peer educators for unions in the education sector will receive ongoing training on prevention (especially abstinence and being faithful), PMTCT, stigma and discrimination, counseling and testing, palliative care, and access to treatment. The goal of the peer education is to increase workers' knowledge about HIV and AIDS prevention, care and treatment with the purpose of changing their attitudes and practices and modifying behavior to prevent HIV infections and reduce violence and coercion (key legislative issue).

Activity 2: Training of peer educators for teachers unions

Working in three provinces, peer educators from three teachers' unions will be identified and trained a peer educators. Training will focus on prevention, particularly AB messages. A structure will be set up to support the peer educators and ensure quality assurance for

the one-on-one interactions and community mobilization activities that they will be expected to participate in.

Activity 2: Community Mobilization

The newly trained peer educators will reach teachers in their unions with AB prevention messages. The focus of the AB messaging for teachers already involved in relationships will be the B component. The peer educators will distribute IEC materials, organize mobilization events, campaign messages and conduct one-on-one interactions with teachers and/or their families.

This activity will directly contribute to PEPFAR's goal of preventing 7 million new infections. These activities support the USG Five-Year Strategy for South Africa by expanding and improving quality AB prevention programs.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY FLAG:

This activity is a component of a comprehensive prevention education, care and treatment program for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with 20-200 employees and other workplaces in South Africa. It includes activities in CT, Policy Analysis and Systems Strengthening, and Abstinence and Be Faithful.

SUMMARY:

With an estimate of 12.3 million learners in South Africa, served by 386,600 teachers and more than 26,000 schools managing a response to HIV and AIDS across the education sector requires a comprehensive and substantial effort. Efforts must include a focus on both learners and educators if the impact of HIV is to be mitigated; and it must be recognized that any efforts focused on learners via the education sector cannot succeed without educators also being addressed. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) will implement a comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace program for the education sector of South Africa.

BACKGROUND:

ELRC is a statutory council which serves the South African education sector nationwide and is comprised of the public sector, the national and provincial departments of education, the private sector and teacher unions representing all primary and secondary public school educators. The ELRC works as an interface between the Department of Education (DOE) and labor organizations for labor peace and a vision of contributing towards the transformation and development of a quality South African public education system. A 2005 Health of Our Educators Report found that 50% of all teacher attrition is linked to complications of HIV and AIDS, resulting in 4000 teachers being lost each year due to AIDS. The general prevalence rate among educators was found to closely parallel that of the national population with an estimate of 12.7% of all DOE employed educators living with HIV. Based on the findings of this report and with FY 2007 PEPFAR funding ELRC will implement a project in 3 South African provinces to educators living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. The target group for this project is teachers, including those living with HIV or those who have family members living with HIV. This is a workplace intervention with minor emphasis areas in information, education and communication, community mobilization, and the development of linkages and networks. A particular focus of this project is the greater involvement of people with AIDS. ELRC will work with HIV positive teachers to ensure they can serve as role models to fellow teachers and to learners.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

ACTIVITY 1: Distribution of male and female condoms

ELRC will work with its three sub partners to ensure that 150 physical sites in the education sector are established to distribute male and female condoms. This will ensure that male and female teachers can assess condoms in their workplace. In addition to condom distribution points, IEC materials will be distributed focusing on correct and consistent condom usage and condoms as a HIV prevention strategy.

ACTIVITY 2: Development of Workplace Prevention Education

PEPFAR funds will be used to support the development of a comprehensive education sector prevention program targeting teachers and education sector union members. Funds will also be used to support workplace prevention education programs targeting the health and education sector. With funding from PEPFAR, these workplace programs will conduct training sessions for employers, senior management, senior union leadership and employees on the basic facts of HIV transmission, prevention, and impact of HIV and AIDS on the industry. Peer educators for unions in the education sector will receive ongoing training on prevention, condoms as an HIV prevention strategy, PMTCT, stigma and discrimination (a key legislative issue), counseling and testing, palliative care, and access to treatment. The goal of the peer education is to increase workers' knowledge about HIV and AIDS prevention, care and treatment with the purpose of changing their attitudes and

practices and modifying behavior to prevent HIV infections and reduce violence and coercion (key legislative issue).

ACTIVITY 3: Training of peer educators for teachers unions

Working in 3 provinces, peer educators from 3 teachers' unions will be identified and trained a peer educators. Training will focus on all aspects of HIV prevention. A structure will be set up to support the peer educators and ensure quality assurance for the one-on-one interactions and community mobilization activities that they will be expected to participate in.

ACTIVITY 4: Community Mobilization

The newly trained peer educators will reach teachers in their unions with prevention messages. The peer educators will distribute IEC materials, organize mobilization events, campaign messages and conduct one-on-one interactions with teachers and/or their families.

Note that for targets, the numbers of people reached with prevention messages are counted under AB rather than OP.

This activity will directly contribute to PEPFAR's goal of preventing 7 million new infections. These activities support the USG Five-Year Strategy for South Africa by expanding and improving quality AB prevention programs.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY FLAG:

The voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) activity is a component of integrated service delivery activities through the training of peer education and lay counselors in the workplace; and relates to activities in prevention/abstinence and being faithful as well as condom distribution and sexually transmitted infection program. This activity is a component of a comprehensive prevention education, care and treatment program and activities are described in AB, Policy Analysis and Systems Strengthening, and Condoms and Other Prevention.

SUMMARY:

With an estimate of 12.3 million learners in South Africa, served by 386,600 teachers and more than 26,000 schools managing a response to HIV and AIDS across the education sector requires a comprehensive and substantial effort. Efforts must include a focus on both learners and educators if the impact of HIV is to be mitigated; and it must be recognized that any efforts focused on learners via the education sector cannot succeed without educators also being addressed. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) will implement a comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace program for the education sector of South Africa.

BACKGROUND:

ELRC is a statutory council which serves the South African education sector nationwide and is comprised of the public sector, the national and provincial departments of education, the private sector and teacher unions representing all primary and secondary public school educators. The ELRC works as an interface between the Department of Education (DOE) and labor organizations for labor peace and a vision of contributing towards the transformation and development of a quality South African public education system. A 2005 Health of Our Educators Report found that 50% of all teacher attrition is linked to complications of HIV and AIDS, resulting in 4000 teachers being lost each year due to AIDS. The general prevalence rate among educators was found to closely parallel that of the national population with an estimate of 12.7% of all DOE employed educators living with HIV. Based on the findings of this report and with FY 2007 PEPFAR funding ELRC will implement a project in 3 South African provinces to educators living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. The target group for this project is teachers, including those living with HIV or those who have family members living with HIV. This is a workplace intervention with minor emphasis areas in information, education and communication, community mobilization, and the development of linkages and networks. A particular focus of this project is the greater involvement of people with AIDS. ELRC will work with HIV positive teachers to ensure they can serve as role models to fellow teachers and to learners.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

ACTIVITY 1: Training Master Trainers and Lay Counselors

Master trainers and lay counselors will receive training on rapid test protocols and VCT. The Master trainers will be responsible for training lay counselors within their educational sector unions as well as increasing the demand for and acceptance of VCT services.

ACTIVITY 2: VCT Services

This activity will provide access to VCT services for teachers and their families. Services will include training, support and supervision of counselors. Peer educators within the education sector will promote HIV counseling and testing as a strategy to prevent HIV. The peer educator will also raise awareness about local community VCT Centers to increase the uptake and accessibility of counseling and testing. For those who test positive, trained lay counselors will offer counseling on how to live with HIV, as well as strategies to mitigate stigma and discrimination in the workplace and education sector.

ACTIVITY 3: Fostering linkages to treatment, care and support

ELRC will work with the implementing education sector unions providing VCT to ensure that linkages with treatment, care and support services are established. ELRC will ensure, via the implementation of a tracking system that all educators testing positive will be provided with referrals as needed. In addition, lay counselors will work with the union to track educations who have been referred and to ensure that they receive the services that they have been referred for. ELRC will develop a comprehensive provincial-based directory of services. This directory will be geared towards educators and their families and will be distributed via the union structures.

These accomplishments will directly contribute to the realization of PEPFAR's goal to prevent 7 million new infections and provide care for 10 million people infected with HIV. These accomplishments also support the prevention, care and treatment goals laid out in the USG Five-Year Strategy for South Africa.

INTEGRATED ACTIVITY FLAG:

This activity is a component of a comprehensive prevention education, care and treatment program for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with 20-200 employees and other workplaces in South Africa. It includes activities in CT, Policy Analysis and Systems Strengthening, and Abstinence and Be Faithful.

SUMMARY:

With an estimate of 12.3 million learners in South Africa, served by 386,600 teachers and more than 26,000 schools managing a response to HIV and AIDS across the education sector requires a comprehensive and substantial effort. Efforts must include a focus on both learners and educators if the impact of HIV is to be mitigated; and it must be recognized that any efforts focused on learners via the education sector cannot succeed without educators also being addressed. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) will implement a comprehensive HIV and AIDS workplace program for the education sector of South Africa.

BACKGROUND:

ELRC is a statutory council which serves the South African education sector nationwide and is comprised of the public sector, the national and provincial departments of education, the private sector and teacher unions representing all primary and secondary public school educators. The ELRC works as an interface between the Department of Education (DOE) and labor organizations for labor peace and a vision of contributing towards the transformation and development of a quality South African public education system. A 2005 Health of Our Educators Report found that 50% of all teacher attrition is linked to complications of HIV and AIDS, resulting in 4000 teachers being lost each year due to AIDS. The general prevalence rate among educators was found to closely parallel that of the national population with an estimate of 12.7% of all DOE employed educators living with HIV. Based on the findings of this report and with FY 2007 PEPFAR funding ELRC will implement a project in 3 South African provinces to educators living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. The target group for this project is teachers, including those living with HIV or those who have family members living with HIV. This is a workplace intervention with minor emphasis areas in information, education and communication, community mobilization, and the development of linkages and networks. A particular focus of this project is the greater involvement of people with AIDS. ELRC will work with HIV positive teachers to ensure they can serve as role models to fellow teachers and to learners.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

Activity 1: Institutional Capacity Building

ELRC will work with three teachers' unions to strengthen institutional capacity to address HIV and AIDS. Activities include developing workplace programs, identify capacity needs, and address the capacity needs of each participating union.

Activity 2: Addressing Stigma and Discrimination

Teachr union leaders will be trained in treatment literacy and stigma and discrimination. These union leaders will be responsible for distributing IEC materials focused on treatment literacy and stigma and discrimination as well as conducting workshops to address these issues.

These activities contribute to PEPFAR's goal of preventing 7 million new infections. The activities described here will also support the prevention objectives identified in the USG Five-Year Strategy for South Africa.