This activity is specifically linked with activity #9425, #8686 in AB, and with #7667, #9645 (Prog Eval) in Other Prevention.

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) implements The Tanzanian Marketing and Communications Project (T-MARC) to improve the health status of Tanzanians through affordable socially marketed products and health communications; HIV/AIDS products and services specifically target vulnerable groups nationwide. In addition to activities described under ‘Other Prevention', AED/T-MARC is focused on behavior change communications that promote abstinence and be faithful (AB) messages.

A reduction of partners can have a dramatic impact on prevalence rates. This has been demonstrated in both Uganda and Thailand with similar data now emerging from Zambia, Kenya and Ethiopia. The 2005 Tanzania HIV/AIDS Indicator Survey identifies that 5% of married women and 25% of married men had more than 1 partner in the 12 months before the survey; among never-married women and men aged 15-24, that percentage is 10% for women and 32% for men. There is much work to be done if the epidemic is to be curbed and programs must increase safer sexual behavior in Tanzania in order to create change.

Building on FY06 efforts, AED will scale up prevention efforts on neglected "B" interventions with adult males and females. AED/T-MARC's strategic involvement in B will focus on a campaign initative called Sikia Kengele (Listen to the Bell), an effort to reach adult (18 to 49 years-old) men and women with multiple sexual partners in communities in and around the main transportation corridors, mines and plantations. The bell is a symbol of tremendous significance in Tanzania as a call for change and reflection. Sikia Kengele is being launched in 8 TBD large to mid-size towns in which local communities have interactions with highly mobile populations with FY07 funding. It is anticipated that communities in Morogoro, Iringa, Mbeya, Tabora, Shinyanga and Mwanza will form the backbone of this initiative. Sikia Kengele calls for communities and individuals to evaluate their behaviors and "wake up" to the reality of HIV and the easy steps they can take to reduce their risks - with a strong emphasis on partner reduction and monogamy. Sikia Kengele will 1) address perceived social norms supporting multi-partner behavior and 2) challenge these risky social norms via interpersonal communication, community mobilization and the use of selected media. A strong link to locally available counseling and testing services will also be promoted through Sikia Kengele. Audiences will be encouraged to know their HIV status and their partner's HIV status so that appropriate protective actions can be implemented if necessary.

Through an NGO/FBO/CBO grants program implemented by Africare a request for proposals will be issued for organizations working in the project area to participate in the implementation of Sikia Kengele. In addition, it is anticipated that some local implementing partners will be solicited directly. Via these partners, AED/T-MARC will mobilize "bell ringers," 200+ peer educators, outreach workers, and community leaders charged with igniting discussions around partner reduction. Bell ringers will work in the community one-on-one and in small groups to educate and motivate people to change. They will use a variety of communication approaches based on the strengths of the implementing partner with print materials provided by AED/T-MARC (The result of previous B working group meetings).

The "Big Bell" - literally a big travelling bell with an interactive roadshow - will mobilize larger community events. The use of limited mass media (particularly community radio) will help create an environment in which communities reflect on their values and identify and commit to ways to increase the number of individuals using "B" as a primary method of HIV prevention. Communities will gather at least twice a year to ring the "Big Bell" and participate in entertaining, experiential and educative activities. Implementing partners in the community will promote the big bell and mobilize individuals at risk to participate.

FY07 funding will also be used to expand "Sikia Kengele" community efforts nationwide. The World and Peace Organization (WAPO) will be contracted to expand their ongoing "B" efforts, reaching many thousands of Christians - particularly churchgoers - under the Sikia Kengele umbrella. Pastors will be trained to talk constructively about effectiveness and benefits of faithfulness during their sermons and provide spiritual counseling to couples on faithfulness and the importance of knowing one's HIV status before engaging in a long

term sexual relationship. WAPO will hold faithfulness "crusades" to rally communities around monogamy. Opportunities to conduct similar work with a Muslim FBO will also be explored. AED/T-MARC will also work in close collaboration with other Emergency Plan implementing partners who are working with "B" behaviors in the adult population.

Additional interventions designed to encourage "B" behaviors will be implemented at the national level. For example, AED/T-MARC will continue to work with the organizers of the Uhuru Torch (an annual activity of great national pride that reaches every district in Tanzania) and Nane Nane (an annual series of national agricultural fairs) to ensure that "B" messages are incorporated into their community events. AED/T-MARC will also deliver "B" messages via sports events - such as selected matches in the Tanzanian Premiere Football League. Other important events in the Tanzanian calendar, such as World AIDS Day, Parents Day, and National Workers Day will be leveraged as opportunities for AED to incorporate "B" messages into existing activities. Additionally, AED will capitalize on opportunities provided during their "C" outreach - such as the Dume Roadshows - to incorporate "B" messages.

Sikia Kengele activities are complimenting T-MARC's other prevention activities. Kengele will help to surround and support the general population in communities where higher risk sexual behavior is taking place. Other prevention activities will target individuals living in those communities who practicing unprotected sex with non regular partners.

AED will continue to develop and share print materials (job aids for peer educators and outreach workers, brochures, posters, etc.) that support "B" behaviors with other USAID implementing partners (in accordance with the National HIV AIDS Communications Strategy). AED/T-MARC will continue to mobilize a "B" Working Group formed of USAID CAs, FBOs, NGOs, GOT and others that AED/T-MARC initiated during FY06.

AED/T-MARC will aggressively pursue funds from the private sector to supplement Emergency Plan supported activities - particularly the Sikia Kengele initiative. AED/T-MARC's efforts in AB will reach 592,000 individuals with FY 2007 funding.

With this additional plus-up money, T-MARC will expand the Kengele community mobilization and outreach to include the lake regions of Kagera, Mwanza, Mara and Shinyanga, as well as print the necessary materials required to cover these regions. These activities will reach an additional 125,000 people.

This activity specifically links with activity #9645, #7695, #7717, #8723, #7770, #7787, #9646, and #8728 in Other Prevention, and with #7668 and #9425 in AB.

The Academy for Educational Development (AED) implements The Tanzanian Marketing and Communications Project (T-MARC) to improve the health status of Tanzanians through affordable socially marketed products and health communications; HIV/AIDS products and services specifically target vulnerable groups nationwide. AED/T-MARC will focus on condom marketing and corresponding behavior change communications efforts to most at risk populations in addition to other activities described under AB.

In years past, the USG has been the largest supporter of condom social marketing in Tanzania. In FY 2004 AED/T-MARC was contracted to implement USG/Tanzania's condom social marketing efforts. These efforts focus on improving the access of branded HIV/AIDS products (male and female condoms) to most-at-risk populations across Tanzania, and implementing generic communications initiatives that promote demand and access for these product categories. AED/T-MARC addresses programmatic issues in both the public and the private sectors to improve condom accessibility, availability and consistent use particularly across those regions that are most effected by the pandemic. These efforts depend upon the establishment of strategic and collaborative partnerships with the commerical, NGO and public sector.

In the last year, AED/T-MARC successfully launched two new condom brands, both targeted at most-at-risk-populations, in collaboration with established local commercial sector partners. Working in collaboration with Shelys' Pharmaceutical Ltd., AED/T-MARC launched Dume, a male condom brand targeted at individuals with high-risk sexual lifestyles. Dume is distributed through Shely's existing national distribution system. In addition, Lady Pepeta, a female condom targeted at women who have high-risk sexual encounters (including sex workers and bar girls) was developed and is distributed through Kays Hygiene Products, Ltd. With these products now established in the market, AED/T-MARC seeks to grow the overall market for condoms (male and female), especially among the population of people most at high risk for HIV, including vulnerable individuals along the high transmission transportation corridors. In FY07 AED/T-MARC, and its partners, intend to reach a total of 9,500 condom service outlets with the Dume male condom brand and the Lady Pepeta female condom brand. Outlet penetration efforts will be focused on servicing non traditional channels (bars, nightclubs, guest houses, and brothels) and developing a purchasing culture within these channels, as research has shown that these channels are amongst those most preferred and frequently visited by both Dume and Lady Pepeta's target audiences. In further enhancing Dume and Lady Pepeta's reach and visibiliy T-MARC will collaborate with Marie Stopes and AMREF to intergrate the brands and IEC material across their health facilities and testing centers. These strategic efforts to enhance product availability in key underserved outlets and regions will ensure that Dume and Lady Pepeta focus on meeting the unmet needs of their target audiences. AED/T-MARC anticipates selling 12 million Dume male condoms and at least 800,000 Lady Pepeta female condoms with FY07 funding. These efforts will complement: (1) the public sector (which is delivering 120 million condoms in the first half of FY07); and (2) other socially marketed condoms (69 million condoms for FY07).

Promotional efforts for Dume and Lady Pepeta will involve both brand activation and education efforts. Various communication channels will be used to reach the target audiences. The majority of communication efforts will emphasize interpersonal activities such as peer education and outreach education, designed to engage audiences with the brands in their daily settings. The selective use of TV, radio and print, will be used to ensure brand reach and to communicate with a broad target audience base. Trade promotions will seek to enhance brand visibility, relevance and acceptability within the trade, among HIV/AIDS service providers, as well as among the targeted end users.

A variety of specific activities will be implemented with FY07 funding: the Lady Pepeta Kitchen Party and Hair Salon programs will continue; a partnership with the NGO, KIWOHEDE will be established to leverage KIWOHEDE's infrastructure to train outreach workers; work will continue with promotional agents to activate Dume Nights across the bars and nightclubs of the transport corridors, promoting the brand as well as education around the correct and consistent use of male condoms and the promotion of other protective behaviors including faithfulness and knowing one's HIV status; barbershop

attendants will be recruited and trained to sensitize their clients on correct and consistent use of condoms, and specifically the Dume male condom - in an effort to enhance Dume brand name recall and relevance among target audiences.

In collaboration with the Tanzania Bus Owners Association (TABOA), the Tanzania Truck Owners Association (TATOA), and the Tanzania Road Tankers Association (TAROTA), AED will implement a behavior change communication program designed to reach these drivers and their sexual partners. Through peer education, outreach and community mobilization events, these drivers, and their community-based sexual partners will be provided with opportunities to examine their high-risk sexual behaviors and encouraged to make protective behavior changes. This initiative will take place in 8 communities along the transportation corridors and train approximately 150 peer educators. Additionally in partnership with ABCT and WAPO, T-MARC will sensitize taxi drivers and corporate HIV/AIDS worksite program coordinators to promote the importance and relevance of condom use amongst their clients and within their work environments. T-MARC will continue supporting and capitalizing on SafeTStop initiative along the transport corridor to expand accesssibility for condoms and make it a platform for promoting correct and consistent use of condoms. T-MARC will also work with other USG supported programs like Peace Corps Volunteers and PharmAccess as additional avenues for condom distribution.

Working in collaboration with ANGAZA, AED/T-MARC will use the opportunities provided by the arrival of their counseling and testing mobile clinics in communities along the transportation corridor to mobilize Market Days, outreach events that will be used to create brand recognition for Dume and further educate audiences on condoms and their correct and consistent use. Via an experienced promotional agent, T-MARC will work with the "Vijiweni" Football Bonanzas to promote and support healthy sexual behaviors and condom use for high-risk sexual activities among players and audience members.

In this first year of implementing this program T-MARC will: • Identify organizations with experience working with sex workers and women who engage in transactional sex in USAID's priority geographical regions. • Issue a solicitation for these organizations to respond with proposals. • Form an expert committee of individuals from various organizations to review and select three to four proposals of $50,000-$150,000 for implementation in year one. • Build the capacity of the winning organizations, including providing technical assistance in BCC, M&E, etc. • Develop and print materials to be used for education/outreach, if necessary. • Monitor the progress of the NGOs and CBOs and provide guidance as necessary.

At the end of this inaugural phase of grants-making for NGOs and CBOs working with sex workers and women engaged in transactional sex, T-MARC will develop a short report on the challenges and successes of the program and lay out suggested next steps.