SUMMARY:

Soul City has received PEPFAR funding since FY 2005 to implement a media and community-driven

program to strengthen prevention, and increase awareness of and demand for HIV care and treatment

services. The major emphasis area is community mobilization/participation. Other emphasis areas include:

information, education and communication; local organization capacity development; and training. There are

five activities. Three activities target adults and children nationally using multimedia, and two activities build

on this through training and community mobilization of adults and children.

BACKGROUND:

The activities are ongoing. Soul City has a long history of partnership with the South African Government,

collaborating with the National Departments of Health (NDOH), Education (DOE), Social Development

(DOSD), Transport, and Public Service and Administration, which includes financial support from NDOH,

and potentially DOSD in the future. In addition, Soul City partners with 18 non-governmental organizations

(NGOs) to implement the community mobilization program. All Soul City interventions address gender

issues, particularly those associated with driving the epidemic (e.g., power relations and cross generational

sex). In September 2007 Soul City and its sub-partners are planning a major planning retreat to design its

five year prevention strategy, and the USG will be important contributors to this process. Violence and

partner reduction will be a focus over the next five years as will the issues that promote violence, like

substance abuse.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

ACTIVITY 1: The Soul City Series

The Soul City TV series,13 episodes for a family audience, broadcast during primetime in October 2008; 30

radio drama episodes in nine languages in November 2008; and a 36-page color booklet for adults printed

in four languages, with one million copies distributed through newspapers, health facilities, partners and

community organizations. The booklet will focus on HIV and relationships, particularly concurrent partners.

Other issues addressed are HIV prevention that promotes abstinence and faithfulness, and decreasing

stigma. The series will cover gender in HIV prevention, violence reduction and substance abuse. PEPFAR

funds will be used for 30% of this activity, with other donors funding the remaining 70%.

ACTIVITY 2: Soul Buddyz

Soul Buddyz is aimed at children, 8 to 12 years of age and comprises: (1) 13 TV drama episodes for

children and their parents, broadcast in primetime October 2008; (2) development, printing and distribution

of one million copies of a 42-page color parenting book in four languages from April 2008; (3) development

of a 116-page grade 7 life skills book distributed to pupils in April 2008; and (4) marketing to promote and

link these materials. This activity contributes to PEPFAR objectives by averting new infections through

behavior change. The topics the Soul Buddyz series will cover are HIV prevention, in particular the

promotion of abstinence and faithfulness, and youth sexuality. The Soul Buddyz intervention deals with a

range of developmental topics relevant to children's lives and not only to HIV and AIDS. It will also deal with

violence reduction, reduction in substance abuse, gender and building self esteem. PEPFAR funds will be

used to support 30% of this activity, with other donors funding the remaining 70%.

The following two activities depend on the media activities for their credibility and impact at a community

level.

ACTIVITY 3: Community Mobilization

Based on the Soul Buddyz intervention, Soul Buddyz Club is a community mobilization intervention aimed

at children, largely at schools and facilitated voluntarily by teachers. Children in the clubs learn about life

skills covered in the Soul Buddyz series (that stress abstinence and being faithful (AB) messages) and are

encouraged to do outreach work in their schools, families and communities. Nationwide, 3000 clubs already

exist, and in FY 2008 Soul City will establish another 1000 clubs. To achieve this, it will conduct 20 training

sessions for facilitators; develop, print and distribute 6000 annual club guides; hold a national congress for

clubs and their facilitators; develop, print and distribute 80,000 magazines to each club member bi-annually;

and run Buddyz club competitions. The clubs will focus on preventing HIV infection, AIDS and its impact on

schools; youth sexuality focusing on skills development; and violence reduction, reduction in substance

abuse, gender and building self esteem. PEPFAR funds will be used to support approximately 80 percent of

this activity, with other donors funding the remaining 20%. Soul City emphasizes building the capacity of

facilitators so they can support clubs into the future. This will be done in partnership with the DOE at both

national and provincial levels. This activity contributes towards PEPFAR objectives by averting new

infections through increasing self esteem and behavior change.

ACTIVITY 4: Material Development

Soul City develops flexible training materials in five local languages to use in facilitated learning settings,

and in the general public, with a focus on parents. They will build parenting skills and equip them to educate

their own and other children about prevention using an AB approach. They also deal with all other aspects

of the epidemic, including, antiretroviral therapy support, and support for home-based care and orphans and

vulnerable children. These materials will also be used to train school governing bodies to create schools as

nodes of care for vulnerable children. These materials are also used by businesses and workplace

programs. These materials are used by 18 partner NGO's in a cascade training model. Trainees are given

the support and skills with which to become mobilizers in their community. More than 200 training sessions

will be conducted in FY 2008 with an average of 30 people per session. In addition, materials are made

available to a wide range of institutions that make use of the materials in their work. A minimum of one

million copies of materials will be made available. PEPFAR funds will be used to support approximately 70

percent of this activity, with other donors funding the remaining 30%.

ACTIVITY 5: Heartlines

Activity Narrative: Heartlines is a sub-partner of Soul City: IHDC uses a values-based approach to HIV prevention. It is fully

described in Other Prevention A children's book aimed at children 5-8 years old was produced in FY 2007.

FY 2008 funding will be used to translate the book into 11 languages and 100,000 copies will be distributed

to 17,000 primary schools. In partnership with DOE, teachers will also be trained to use the materials.

The long-term sustainability of Soul City is addressed by diversifying its funding sources and by establishing

a broad-based empowerment company which can take ownership of shares and whose dividends will

accrue to Soul City. An empowerment company is one that aims to strengthen small businesses and

expand them in order to encourage investments from outside investors.

To determine the impact of the activities, Soul City and another PEPFAR partner, Johns Hopkins University

Center for Communication Programs, will implement a nationally representative longitudinal panel design

evaluation, which, together with propensity score analysis, enables one to attribute change to the

intervention with a high degree of certainty, as the change is clearly measured in a time sequence, and the

"control" is controlled for demographics, other interventions, other attitudes and behaviors. This allows a

high degree of certainty about what the cause of the change is. (This activity is funded under the Johns

Hopkins University PEPFAR program and described in that COP entry.) Soul City has reached over 6

million children and 22 million adults with AB prevention messages. A further study (not PEPFAR-funded) is

planned in partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand which will be a randomized intervention

study comparing the impact of the school based intervention on child resiliency

These activities will contribute to the PEPFAR 2-7-10 goals, focusing on prevention (specifically abstinence

and being faithful) and care and treatment awareness.

SUMMARY:

"Heartlines" is a values-based, media-led intervention that aims to mobilize the faith-based community in

Southern Africa to prevent the spread of HIV by promoting abstinence and faithfulness, as well as

decreasing stigma and increasing care for those infected or affected by HIV and AIDS. The major emphasis

area is information, education, and communication. Minor emphasis areas include community

mobilization/participation and linkages with other sectors and initiatives. Target populations include children

and adults, people living with HIV and AIDS, communities, teachers and faith- and community-based

organizations.

BACKGROUND:

This is an ongoing activity and was first funded by PEPFAR in FY 2006. This intervention complements

Soul City's existing activities; targeting faith-based organizations (FBOs) nationally using prevention

messages that will best resonate with this group. It also complements the AB Soul City activities described

elsewhere in the COP. Mass Media Project (MMP), a Soul City sub-partner, is implementing the project. It is

an NGO set up in 2001 with seed financing and with technical support from Soul City. The MMP works with

the Government Communications and Information Services as well as the Department of Education.

Decreasing gender disparity especially in an FBO context is a key focus.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

"Heartlines" aims to revive in South and Southern Africans the positive value system that traditionally

prevailed. In so doing, it will lead to the re-examination of people's norms and values. It aims to lead to the

prevention of new infections, decreased stigma and increased levels of care for those already infected with

HIV. It aims to mobilize at least 50 percent of all FBOs in South Africa in support of this objective.

Implementation started in July 2006. All major FBO leadership have actively supported "Heartlines" to date

and have pledged support for the future. FBOs will be mobilized through the provision of training materials

and training. Committees in each province have been established to coordinate FBO activities and to

facilitate the dissemination of materials and training. In order to create focus for mobilization a concerted

period of action of 6 weeks annually has been identified. This intervention is a partnership with the Nelson

Mandela Foundation, a major South African Bank and the Public Broadcaster, along with four other smaller

donors. Between them, they have already contributed over $6 million to this intervention to date.

In September 2007 Soul City and its sub-partners are planning a major planning retreat to design its 5-year

prevention strategy, and the USG will be important contributors to this process.

ACTIVITY 1:Distribution of eight TV drama films and a story book for use in multiple FBO settings

The eight films and the book were produced in FY 2006 with other donor funding. They were aired at

primetime across all public broadcast TV stations and were hugely popular. Each film focused on a different

value: abstinence and delayed gratification, self-control, perseverance, tolerance and acceptance of

difference (stigma reduction), positive parenting with an emphasis on men, forgiveness and integrity and

grace (second chances), as well as fidelity and partner reduction. A spiritual dimension was introduced in

the dramas, which is, for most Africans, the highest source of moral authority. Multiple other media

platforms in radio, TV and print media were used in the period of broadcast to integrate the values raised, in

particular in relation to HIV and AIDS and other contributing social issues such as violence against women

and so stimulate a national debate. These films were complemented by a book for parents on teaching

values to children. The book includes ten stories to be read to 3-6 year olds, focusing on the same values

as the films. Adult components are described here and in other sections of the COP. Both the children's

book and films were adapted in the course of FY 2007 for use in FBOs; and a facilitator guide will be

produced. They will be duplicated and distributed in the course of FY 2008 to at least 30,000 FBOs. Further

training materials will be produced which are focused on assisting FBOs to organize for action around these

values. They will enable the FBOs to review and respond to needs both within their congregations as well

as in their communities. Through ongoing mass media programming these actions will be reported on so as

to encourage others to also take action. The materials will be adapted for different settings, thus it is likely

that the resource for a rural FBO will differ to that of an urban one, although the objectives will be the same.

At least 26 training/mobilization events will be held nationally with FBOs in support of the materials and their

messages PEPFAR funding will contribute 80 percent of this budget, with other donors funding the

remaining 20%.

ACTIVITY 2: Adaptation of the films for use in workplace programs and prisons

Considerable interest has been forthcoming for the use of these films in workplace management and HIV

and AIDS programs as well as from the Department of Correctional Services. Consequently an adaptation

of the films will be made with support training materials for this purpose. PEPFAR funding will contribute to

the development of the materials. The major emphasis area is information, education, and communication.

ACTIVITY 3: Adaptation of the films for use in schools

These films were adapted in FY 2006 for use in grade 10 classes and an accompanying facilitator manual

was produced. In FY 2008 30,000 copies of the DVD and manual will be distributed to 6000 high schools for

use in grade 10. In partnership with DOE, teachers will also be trained to use the materials.

ACTIVITY 4: Out of school youth

Based on the positive reception to "Heartlines" by youth, an initiative will, in the course of FY 2008, be rolled

out that will target at risk and out of school youth. The initiative will mobilize youth using hip hop music

through a series of competitions across the country, which will get youth to use hip hop to challenge their

peers to live positive values. Radio and TV will cover these events. These events and the media coverage

will be used to select youth ambassadors who "walk the talk". They will be trained in leadership, enterprise

development and will be trained to be peer educators in their communities. FY 2008 funding will be used to

establish this initiative but by FY 2009,"Heartlines" will be working with at least 500 youth across the

country.

Activity Narrative:

ACTIVITY 5: Soul City training

Training is conducted by 18 partner NGOs in a cascade-training model. Trainees are given the support and

skills with which to become mobilizers in their community. More than 200 training sessions will be

conducted in FY 2008 with an average of 30 people per session. Although trainees will be equipped to

teach parenting skills and AB prevention to parents in particular they themselves will be trained in ABC

prevention as well .In the course of FY 2008 further values-based media programs will be developed under

the "Heartlines" brand as an HIV intervention. They may include an initiative targeting preschool children

and one aimed at teenagers. These will initially not require PEPFAR funding and will be funded by other

donors. These materials will first have impact in South Africa and then be available for use across the

region through Soul City's regional program. A major public-private partnership has been forged by the

MMP, which sees approximately 50 percent of project funding provided by a South African bank, with a

commitment to funding till 2010. Further funding will be forthcoming from the national public broadcaster as

well. As the MMP is a relatively new organization, work will be done on career development and other

organizational development.

These activities contribute to the PEPFAR goal of averting 7 million new HIV infections.

SUMMARY:

Soul City is implementing a media and community-driven program to strengthen prevention, and increase

awareness of and demand for HIV care and treatment services, including treatment literacy. There are two

activities which target adults and children through training and community mobilization nationally. The

emphasis areas gender, education, human capacity development and local organization capacity building.

BACKGROUND:

Soul City has received PEPFAR funding since FY 2005 to implement a comprehensive HIV and AIDS

program that includes improving access to treatment and adherence counseling. Soul City has a long

history of partnership with the South African Government (SAG), collaborating with the National

Departments of Health (NDOH), Education (DOE), Social Development (DOSD), Transport, and Public

Service and Administration, which includes financial support from NDOH, and potentially DOSD in the

future. All Soul City interventions pay particular attention to addressing gender issues particularly those that

are associated with driving the epidemic. These include power relations and gender violence. Violence

reduction will be a particular focus of Soul City over the next five years as will those issues that promote

violence such as substance abuse. There are 18 partner NGOs which currently implement training and

community mobilization activities across the country.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

ACTIVITY 1: Soul Buddyz Club

Based on the Soul Buddyz media intervention (described under Prevention), Soul Buddyz Club is a

community mobilization intervention aimed at children, based mainly at schools and facilitated voluntarily by

teachers. Children in the clubs learn about life skills covered in the Soul Buddyz series and are encouraged

to do outreach work in their schools, families and communities. The content focus of the clubs is mainly on

prevention, but the Clubs offer a major opportunity to educate children on all aspects of antiretroviral

treatment. These children then become peer educators as well as being able to support people in their

communities on treatment. PEPFAR funding will be used to support approximately 80 percent of this

activity, with other donors funding the remaining 80%. This activity will be implemented in partnership with

the DOE at both a national and provincial level. This activity contributes towards PEPFAR objectives by

promoting treatment literacy and treatment compliance.

ACTIVITY 2: Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials

This activity relates to information and training materials for use in facilitated learning settings, as well as the

general public. Soul City develops flexible training materials in five local languages. These deal with all

aspects of the epidemic, in particular prevention stressing AB as well as antiretroviral treatment (ART)

support and support for home-based care and orphans and vulnerable children. These materials are used

by 18 sub-partner NGOs in a cascade training model. Through this training, trainees are given the support

and skills with which to become mobilizers in their community. More than 200 training sessions will be

conducted in FY 2008 with an average of 30 people per session. Soul City has produced the following

treatment literacy materials: a booklet for people newly on ART; a booklet for healthcare workers providing

ART; and a booklet for people who are caring for children on ART. In FY 2008 these materials will be

updated and translated into other languages if necessary. At least 500,000 copies of these materials will be

distributed through Soul City's training partners and to facilities providing ART, including PEPFAR partners.

These materials are also distributed to health facilities, through a partnership with the Department of Health.

PEPFAR funding will be used to support approximately 70 percent of this activity, with other donors funding

the remaining 30%. This activity addresses gender, stigma and discrimination and education with particular

attention to building the organizational capacity and sustainability of the implementing NGO sub-partners in

the form of organizational and human resource development assistance. This activity contributes towards

PEPFAR goals by promoting treatment literacy and treatment compliance.

The long-term sustainability of Soul City is being addressed through diversifying its funding sources as well

as through the establishment of a broad-based empowerment company which can take ownership of shares

and whose dividends will accrue to Soul City.

By providing clear and relevant messages regarding ARV treatment and adherence, Soul City's activities

will have a direct and measurable impact on demand for and effective use of ARV treatment in South Africa.

These achievements will contribute to the realization of the Emergency Plan's goal of treating 2 million

people, and support the treatment goals outlined in the USG Five-Year Strategy for South Africa.