This activity also relates to 8397-Condoms and Other Prevention, 8395-Palliative Care;Basic Health Care & Support, 8396-OVC, 8400-Management & Staffing.

The Peace Corps Uganda Emergency Plan program supports the USG Strategy of the Emergency Plan (the EP) for Uganda. By supporting the PEPFAR Strategy Peace Corps Uganda contributes to the Ugandan National Strategic Framework (NSF) for HIV/AIDS, and, in turn, to the goals and objectives of our partner organizations which are hosting Volunteers. The program is designed so that Volunteers are closely engaged with a community through one or more hosting organizations, providing technical assistance for capacity building, and developing close personal relationships necessary for effective innovation in underserved areas. The PEPFAR program allows Peace Corps Uganda to strengthen community and Volunteer HIV/AIDS expertise, and to support highly focused community organizations in a variety of HIV/AIDS functions. Volunteers and partner organizations work together to identify areas of need and develop appropriate evidence based strategies that support sustainable interventions

Under this program area, Peace Corps Volunteers and partner organizations counterpart have scaled up community outreach activities to reach many young people with abstinence messages both in and out of school youth, The Volunteers especially those working in our education project have helped in rolling out the PIASCY program and as a result, have reached many primary school pupils and teachers. Volunteers have been very helpful in rolling out age appropriate behavioral change materials developed by other partner organizations packaged with body and abstinence messages. Volunteers have helped schools to develop and maintain talking compounds', painted murals; and developed HIV/AIDS resource rooms in primary schools with prevention and adolescent reproductive health messages. These messages help create a sustainable impact among children because they are read on a day-to-day basis. Volunteers have conducted many training sessions for local leaders including religious leaders aimed at equipping them with information and skills to reach youth and young married couples with AB messages. Volunteers have supported local communities and schools to form anti-AIDS clubs, stay-safe clubs and peer groups for helping young people to cope with the challenges of peer pressure.

This program will support Abstinence and Being Faithful activities targeting youth, especially the upper primary school children (school children and those below 15 years of age), out-of-school youth; and married couples with "being faithful." messages. Volunteers will disseminate age appropriate information and activities for young people - beginning with life skills and self-esteem development for younger age groups, and moving to more specific HIV/AIDS messages and youth empowerment for older youth. Volunteers and their Counterparts will continue to support the roll-out of PIASCY activities to schools in their work areas and through their affiliation with primary teacher colleges and coordinating centers and the work these institutions do to promote and provide outreach school-based teacher training, clubs, materials development, and linkages with other community organizations. Volunteers will also help to roll out and adapted materials with messages developed by other partner organizations like Straight Talk and YEAH. The basic message will address "Prevention AB".

This activity also relates to 8398-AB, 8395-Palliative Care;Basic Health Care and Support, 8396-OVC, 8400-Management & Staffing.

The Peace Corps Uganda Emergency Plan program supports the USG Strategy of the Emergency Plan (the EP) for Uganda. By supporting the PEPFAR Strategy Peace Corps Uganda contributes to the Ugandan National Strategic Framework (NSF) for HIV/AIDS, and, in turn, to the goals and objectives of our partner organizations which are hosting Volunteers. The program is designed so that Volunteers are closely engaged with a community through one or more hosting organizations, providing technical assistance for capacity building, and developing close personal relationships necessary for effective innovation in underserved areas. The PEPFAR program allows Peace Corps Uganda to strengthen community and Volunteer HIV/AIDS expertise, and to support highly focused community organizations in a variety of HIV/AIDS functions. Volunteers and partner organizations work together to identify areas of need and develop appropriate evidence based strategies that support sustainable HIV/AIDS interventions

Peace Corps Volunteers have been involved in planning and facilitating HIV/AIDS community outreach prevention education activities to increase awareness among different groups of the population in rural settings. Under this program, Volunteers and partner organizations have been trained community members in life skills and peer education for secondary school, and out- of school youth and adult groups; trained community health workers and trained counselors. Volunteers through the Volunteer Activities Support and Training program have organized and facilitated outreach activities for promotion of PMTCT including HIV/AIDS awareness and education among pregnant mothers to stop young babies from getting infected'; have promoted counseling and testing with a strong emphasis on male involvement in couple testing; and promoted of condom usage for most at risk populations. Peace Corps Volunteers and partner organization counterparts have developed appropriate HIV/AIDS information, education and communication tools targeting vulnerable and most at risk groups of individuals in the community. Peace Corps Uganda has facilitated a number of in-service training workshops for Volunteers, counterparts and community members and equipped them with skills and knowledge of designing evidence based prevention strategies including prevention for positives and other risky populations.

Activities in this area include capacity building support for Community based organizations, Non governmental organizations, faith based organizations, and government health facilities aimed at strengthening prevention of HIV programs. These activities will include information dissemination through various channels; education and age appropriate communication on reproductive health issues; sexually transmitted infections management' education about condoms and usage, and other related areas that support HIV prevention. These activities will target vulnerable groups, most at risk populations, and community members at large through activities implemented by Volunteers and their counterparts in partner organizations. Promotion of counseling and testing, and PMTCT for prevention purposes will also be encouraged. Community members will be encouraged to be tested for HIV, hence further preventing transmission. HIV positive pregnant mothers will be better equipped to prevent transmission of HIV to their babies. The Technical Advisor requested to support our programming will enhance the prevention programs through provision of support to the six (6) PEPFAR-funded two year Volunteers and will also be the key resource person on all training activities related to PEPFAR. He or She will provide technical guidance during pre-service training, in-service training and PEPFAR specific workshops on different program areas planned for Prevention.

This program area supports Volunteer Activities Support and Training activities implemented by Volunteers and their partner organizations. VAST grants may be used for community health trainings, life skills activities, HIV/AIDS prevention activities that incorporate sports and entertainment, the development of HIV/AIDS materials in accordance with USG and in country policy, and the development of HIV/AIDS resource centers.

This activity also relates to 8397-Condoms and Other Prevention, 8398-AB, 8396-OVC, 8400-Management & Staffing.

The Peace Corps Uganda Emergency Plan program supports the USG Strategy of the Emergency Plan (the EP) for Uganda. By supporting the PEPFAR Strategy, Peace Corps Uganda contributes to the Ugandan National Strategic Framework (NSF) for HIV/AIDS, and in turn, to the goals and objectives of our partner organizations which are hosting Volunteers. The program is designed so that Volunteers are closely engaged with a community through one or more hosting organizations, providing technical assistance for capacity building, and developing close personal relationships necessary for effective innovation in underserved areas. The PEPFAR program allows Peace Corps Uganda to strengthen community and Volunteer HIV/AIDS expertise, and to support highly focused community organizations in a variety of HIV/AIDS functions. Volunteers and partner organizations work together to identify areas of need and develop appropriate evidence based strategies that support sustainable interventions.

In an effort to increase access to comprehensive care for PLWHA, Peace Corps Volunteer and partner organization counterparts have assisted in building capacity of partner organizations to develop organizational capacity, practice improved skills, and develop systems which increase sustainability and provision of quality care services to clients. Community based structures including PLWHA groups, local leaders, religious leaders have been mobilized and trained to provide care at the community level. Volunteers have trained and supported many home caregivers in various care components and equipped them with sustainable skills with an aim of improving the quality of life for PLWHA's. These include skills and assistance for income generation projects like piggery, heifer projects and food processing projects for income generation, household food security and the provision of clean water for affected and infected families. Volunteers have worked with partner organizations, district HIV/AIDS networks and post test clubs to provide psychosocial support to PLWHA's through many channels including home visits. Peace Corps Volunteers and partner organization have been engaged in treatment promotion including referring PLWHAs' to ARV providing facilities and adherence education. Volunteers have supported families and PLWHA's to access basic care package services through linkages and partnerships.

The major portion of this activity is capacity building among community based organizations that operate in underserved areas, to improve and expand access to care through enhanced understanding of and ability to deliver basic preventive care services to those affected by HIV/AIDS. Six Peace Corps Volunteers will work with local organizations to undertake activities that develop organizational capacity, provide opportunities to practice improved skills, and develop systems that increase sustainability of these organizations' ability to deliver quality services. In addition to organizational development, activities will address innovative ways to insure clients have access to the basic preventive care package, including low labor/low input gardening for improved nutrition, improved clean water access, treated bed nets use among families affected by HIV, improved sanitation and hygiene, access to cotrimoxazole, and in house access or referral to treatment and prevention services.

Volunteers and Counterparts will work with PLWHAs' and orphans and vulnerable children caregivers to develop economic development and income generating activities especially those that can contribute to improved nutrition such as vegetable production and other permaculture activities. Small projects may include livestock improvements, piggeries, and food security support. The HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor to be recruited during FY07 will assist in supporting these care activities.

This activity relates to 8398-AB, 8397-Other Preventions, 8395-Palliative Care;Basic Health Care & Support, 8396-OVC, 8400-Management & Staffing.

The Peace Corps Uganda Emergency Plan program supports the USG Strategy of the Emergency Plan (the EP) for Uganda. By supporting the PEPFAR Strategy Peace Corps Uganda contributes to the Ugandan National Strategic Framework (NSF) for HIV/AIDS, and OVC, in turn, to the goals and objectives of our partner organizations that are hosting Volunteers. The program is designed so that Volunteers are closely engaged with a community through one or more hosting organizations, providing technical assistance for capacity building, and developing close personal relationships necessary for effective innovation in underserved areas. The PEPFAR program allows Peace Corps Uganda to strengthen community and Volunteer HIV/AIDS expertise, and to support highly focused community organizations in a variety of HIV/AIDS functions. Volunteers and partner organizations work together to identify areas of need and develop appropriate evidence based strategies that support sustainable interventions

Under this program area, Peace Corps Uganda and its partner organizations have supported provision of comprehensive care services to orphans and other vulnerable children through our direct interventions and networks with other PEPFAR- funded service providers to ensure that all our target groups get complete care services. We have supported a number of OVC nutrition programs including lunch programs in OVCs education institutions. This has increased classroom attendance of OVCs. Community based programs involving local leaders for supporting special needs children with life time skills have been supported and expanded to strengthen community responses towards care for OVCs. Caregivers and foster families have been assisted and supported through training and micro funding to start sustainable income generating projects to benefit the OVCs in affected families for sustainable livelihood development. A number of education facilities have been upgraded and improved to care for large number of OVCs with special focus on under served areas. OVCs in these areas have also been assisted with scholastic materials and families assisted with skills to generate income for sustainable education support. Our Volunteers have helped to link many OVCs caregivers and foster families to other partners providing basic care support including support for malaria prevention. We scaled up our training activities to reach many caregivers and build capacity of partner organization staff and strengthened the capacity of those organizations to provide quality services.

In FY07, this program will focus on improving the lives of orphans and vulnerable children and families affected by HIV/AIDS by providing support for caregivers, sustainable livelihood development, and building linkages to facilitate complete service provision. Volunteers will support a comprehensive care package for OVCs that include psychosocial support, access to education, economic support, and food security. Livelihood activities may include income-generation training for community groups and youth, and capacity building for Community based organizations and other community groups to leverage funding and resources for small projects. Six Peace Corps Volunteers in partnership with partner organizations will use sports, dance and drama, and other recreation activities as a means to facilitate youth development through life skills and HIV/AIDS focused training. Youth will gain leadership skills by serving as peer educators; teamwork skills by engaging in sports, dance and drama; and responsibility as they engage in economic projects.

This program area also supports activities implemented by Volunteers and their partner organizations to train and assist caregivers and children in acquiring and using the basic preventive care package, including clean water, improved nutrition, hygiene, malaria prevention, access to septrin, and access to necessary income and livelihoods, either through their own services or through linkages with other local service providers.

In addition, this area includes supports to Volunteer Activities Support and Training (VAST) activities implemented by Volunteers and their partner organizations. VAST grants may be used to improve access to education for OVCs, improve OVC nutrition, vocational skills enhancement, life skills through sports and entertainment, and other social support activities.

The HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor will provide one-on-one technical support to Volunteers to enhance their technical skills.

plus ups: Peace Corps will support establishment and strengthening of linkages and networks among OVC service providers to promote comprehensive care for OVC's through a well coordinated and supported refferal mechanism. Peace corps Volunteers and their partner organizations will link with other program areas to ensure that OVC's access a full continum of basic OVC care services. Through this mode of operation, more OVc's will be identified but many will be linked to other facilities providng essential services in the geographical area.

This activity also relates to 8398-AB, 8397-Condoms and Other Prevention, 8395-Palliative Care;Basic Health Care and Support, 8396-OVC.

The Peace Corps Uganda Emergency Plan (EP) program supports the USG Strategy of the Emergency Plan (the EP) for Uganda. By supporting the PEPFAR Strategy, Peace Corps Uganda contributes to the Ugandan National Strategic Framework (NSF) for HIV/AIDS, and in turn, to the goals and objectives of our partner organizations which are hosting Volunteers. The program is designed so that Volunteers are closely engaged with a community through one or more hosting organizations, providing technical assistance for capacity building, and developing close personal relationships necessary for effective innovation in underserved areas. The PEPFAR program allows Peace Corps Uganda to strengthen community and Volunteer HIV/AIDS expertise, and to support highly focused community organizations in a variety of HIV/AIDS functions. Volunteers and partner organizations work together to identify areas of need and develop appropriate evidence based strategies that support sustainable interventions.

Management, program direction and supervision, and financial oversight of EP activities is provided by the Peace Corps Country Director, and Associate Peace Corps Director for Health, Cashier, adn Financials Specialist, (3 LES). This level of effort is supported by OE and is required to engage the full cohort of 31 Peace Corps Volunteers who carry out EP activities. The EP Coordinator and the EP Administrative Clerk provide support to the PEPFAR program especially Monitoring and Evaluation, trainings, and volunteer support.

To achieve the expanded level of activities in FY07, Peace Corps Uganda must acquire additional office space to accomodate the expanded PEPFAR team, enlarge the Volunteer HIV/AIDS Resource Center adn add two workstations adn ITC equipment. The EP Coordinator and the EP Administrative Clerk will continue to provide support to the PEPFAR program especially in Monitoring and Evaluation, trainings, and volunteer support. The proposed HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor will provide one-on-one technical support to Volunteers to enhance their technical skills. This staff will provide management support for the additional 20 PEPFAR-funded two-year Volunteers, 4 Crisis Corps Volunteers, as well as additional HIV/AIDS technical training and programming for the full cohort of 65 Volunteers who carry out HIV/AIDS work in Peace Corps Uganda programs. They are members of the expanded USG PEPFAR country team, and serve on various PEPFAR technical workgroups. Additionally, Post seeks to add a vehicle and a driver to support the larger Volunteer population.

To achieve the expanded level of activities, in FY07, Peace Corps Uganda must acquire additional offices space to accommodate the expanded PEPFAR team, enlarge the Volunteer HIV/AIDS Resource Center and add two workstations.