This activity links to HVOP (#9677), UNHCR (#9851), RAPIDS (#8945), Society for Family Health (#8925), and other HVAB projects in Zambia.

In FY 2007, Peace Corps/Zambia (PC/Z) will continue to contribute to the USG Mission's Five-Year Strategy by closely aligning its activities to the Zambian Government's strategies and by strengthening partner organizations to contribute to the 2-7-10 goals.

With the assistance of two-year PC Volunteers ("Volunteers") funded in FY 2005, local communities have organized HIV/AIDS youth awareness sports camps, helped form anti-AIDS clubs, and set up youth friendly corners and support groups for PLWHA. In addition, they have trained service providers and CBOs on using PC's Participatory Community Analysis tools, and assisted in developing income-generating activities. Volunteers funded in FY 2006 COP completed their pre-service training in August 2006 and have been posted to rural communities to begin their two years of service working in HIV/AIDS prevention.

Building on its PEPFAR-funded achievements of the past two fiscal years, PC/Z will continue in FY 2007 to help improve the capacity of communities to mitigate HIV/AIDS and ensure the sustainability of activities. Volunteers and their counterparts will provide support to community groups and other relevant stakeholders within their respective catchment areas in developing effective community responses to HIV/AIDS. These groups will be assisted with training in HIV/AIDS information and AB prevention.

Because most Volunteers live and work for two years in the same community and communicate in the local language, they develop a unique trust with the community and are often approached for advice and technical assistance, especially by women and youth. Therefore, these populations are specific targets of Volunteers' work.

Operationally, PC/Z will focus its PEPFAR program on the following three levels of intervention in FY 2007.

First, 20 two-year Volunteers funded in FY 2007 and 18 Volunteers funded under the FY 2006 COP will concentrate their HIV/AIDS activities in remote villages not typically served by other PEPFAR-funded partners. This work in underserved areas is one of the unique "value-added" roles of Peace Corps. Volunteers will assist rural health centers and Neighborhood Health Committees (NHC) with strategies to promote the AB message. In addition to providing leadership and organizational training to the NHCs, Volunteers will promote networking among communities, rural health centers, District AIDS Task Force and District Health Management Boards. Where Boards and Task Forces do not yet exist, Volunteers will help to establish them. Volunteers will be strategically located within 30 km of a mobile or static HIV counseling and testing site to facilitate linkages to these services.

Second, 10 PEPFAR-funded Volunteers, with strong HIV/AIDS field experience and more advanced technical skills, will be recruited in FY 2007 for one-year assignments. These will either be Crisis Corps Volunteers (former PC Volunteers with specialized skills) or current high-performing Volunteers who will extend their service for a third year. These Volunteers will be placed with PEPFAR-funded organizations at the district level or in secondary cities. This type of partnership, which will leverage a greater impact from the Zambia PEPFAR team, was successfully piloted in FY 2006 with Volunteers assigned to UNHCR, RAPIDS, and the Society for Family Heath. The activities of these Volunteers will be reported through the PEPFAR partner agency, and thus are not reflected in PC target numbers.

Third, and new in FY 2007, 120 two-year Peace Corps-funded Volunteers, whose current projects do not directly relate to HIV/AIDS, will receive intensive PEPFAR-funded training and materials on HIV/AIDS so they can incorporate AB prevention themes into their work. These will carry out activities sanctioned by the Ministries of Health and Education, including workshops, drama, sports, ante-natal clinics, exchange tours, and school AIDS clubs.

When conducting community-based training, Volunteers will follow the Peace Corps Life Skills Manual, which has been used successfully by Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide

since 2000. This manual incorporates innovative teaching techniques to present a comprehensive behavior change approach that concentrates on communication, decision-making, managing emotions, assertiveness, self-esteem, resisting peer pressure, and healthy relationships. Additionally, it addresses the empowerment of girls and the guidance of boys towards solid values. Training sessions on HIV/AIDS, STIs and reproductive health are integrated appropriately for different age groups and target audiences.

Volunteers will work with their Zambian counterparts to disseminate accurate and culturally age-appropriate AB messages to in-school youth, out-of-school youth and other community members. Volunteers will reach out-of-school youth primarily through community health centers by working with health center staff to train peer educators and establish youth-friendly corners where approved prevention messages may be discussed and materials disseminated.

Banafimbusa, traditional initiators who instruct girls on marriage customs and values, provide an important component of reproductive health education at the village level in Zambia. They hold a strong influence over youth, and thus it is important that they have access to training and information on HIV/AIDS. Volunteers and their counterparts will provide workshops and coaching to Banafimbusa on how to facilitate discussions with youth to encourage safer sexual practices through abstinence and being faithful.

Some Volunteers will use income-generating activities, such as community gardens or fish farming, as a means of mobilizing community members into groups for HIV/AIDS education and the AB message, while also addressing improved nutrition and food security.

In FY 2007, PC/Z will continue to manage its Volunteer Activities Support and Training (VAST) program, which enables communities to carry out small projects, training and educational events related to AB prevention. All Zambia Peace Corps Volunteers will be eligible to request VAST grants for purposes approved in the COP.

PC/Z will procure and, when necessary, produce prevention training and other materials in local languages. Where available, PC/Z will reproduce materials developed by other USG partners and will ensure that all PEPFAR-funded materials are consistent with USG and host country policies and guidance. In addition, PC/Z will take advantage of the in-country expertise of other USG partners, particularly for the training of Volunteers.

To determine appropriate interventions, Volunteers conduct initial needs assessment at their sites and pre and post-tests to evaluate the success of their community activities.

To support Volunteers' AB prevention activities in the field, salary and other benefits of the following programming, training and other staff positions will be funded through PEPFAR:

2 Program Managers (current positions) Program Assistant (current position) Driver (current position)

This activity links to HVAB (#9629), UNHCR (#9469), RAPIDS (#8945), Society for Family Health (#8925), and other HVOP projects in Zambia.

Condoms and Other Prevention is a new program area for Peace Corps/Zambia (PC/Z) for FY 2007. It is a natural extension of PC/Z's PEPFAR experience conducting AB prevention activities at the community level in FY 2005 and FY 2006. The work of PC/Z will continue to contribute to the US Mission's Five-Year Strategy by being closely aligned to the Zambian Government's strategies and by strengthening partner organizations to contribute to the 2-7-10 goals.

In FY 2007, PC/Z will expand its PEPFAR program to include community-based training and other outreach efforts that target sexually active youth, adults and other "most at risk populations" with other prevention messages in accordance with PEPFAR ABC Guidance. PC Volunteers ("Volunteers") also will assist rural communities to build their capacity to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in a sustainable manner and in alignment with the Zambia's National HIV/AIDS Strategy under the National AIDS Council and the Ministry of Health.

Because most Volunteers live and work for two years in the same community and communicate in the local language, they develop a unique trust with the community and are often approached for advice and technical assistance, especially by women and youth. Therefore, these populations will be specific targets of Volunteers' work.

Operationally, PC/Z's PEPFAR program will focus on the following three levels of intervention.

First, 20 two-year Volunteers funded under this COP and 18 Volunteers funded under the FY 2006 COP will concentrate their HIV/AIDS activities in remote villages not typically served by other PEPFAR-funded partners. This work in underserved areas is one of the unique "value-added" roles of Peace Corps. Volunteers will work with rural health centers and Neighborhood Health Committees (NHC) to address local problems. In addition to providing leadership and organizational training to the NHCs, Volunteers will promote networking among communities, rural health centers, District AIDS Task Force and District Health Management Boards. Where Boards and Task Forces do not yet exist, Volunteers will help to establish them. Volunteers will be strategically located within 30 km of a mobile or static HIV counseling and testing site to facilitate linkages to HIV/AIDS services, including referrals for HIV testing and condom distribution.

Second, 10 PEPFAR-funded Volunteers, with strong HIV/AIDS field experience and more advanced technical skills, will be recruited in FY 2007 for one-year assignments. These will either be Crisis Corps Volunteers (former PC Volunteers with specialized skills), or current high-performing Volunteers who will extend their service for a third year. These Volunteers will be placed with PEPFAR-funded organizations at the district level or in secondary cities. This type of partnership, which will leverage a greater impact from the Zambia PEPFAR team, was successfully piloted in FY 2006 with Volunteers assigned to UNHCR, RAPIDS, and the Society for Family Heath. The activities of these Volunteers will be reported through the PEPFAR partner agency, and thus are not reflected in PC target numbers.

Third, and new in FY 2007, 120 two-year Peace Corps-funded Volunteers, whose current projects do not directly relate to HIV/AIDS, will receive intensive PEPFAR-funded training and materials on HIV/AIDS so they can incorporate the promotion of appropriate use of condoms and other prevention themes into their work. These Volunteers will carry out activities sanctioned by the Ministries of Health and Education, including workshops, drama, sports, ante-natal clinics, exchange tours, and school AIDS clubs. They will focus their outreach to age-appropriate audiences.

When conducting community-based training, Volunteers will follow the Peace Corps Life Skills Manual, which has been used successfully by Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide since 2000. This manual incorporates innovative teaching techniques to present a comprehensive behavior change approach that concentrates on communication, decision-making, managing emotions, assertiveness, self-esteem, resisting peer pressure, and healthy relationships. Additionally, it addresses the empowerment of girls and the

guidance of boys towards solid values. Training sessions on HIV/AIDS, STIs and reproductive health are integrated appropriately for different age groups and target audiences.

Volunteers will reach sexually active youth through community health centers by working with staff to train peer educators and to establish "youth-friendly corners." This is an effective way to promote prevention messages, disseminate materials, and when appropriate, provide information on the correct use of condoms to sexually active youth in a conducive environment and format.

Banafimbusa, traditional initiators who instruct girls on marriage customs and values, provide an important component of reproductive health education at the village level in Zambia. They hold a strong influence over youth, and thus it is important that they have access to training and information on HIV/AIDS. Volunteers and their counterparts will provide workshops and coaching to Banafimbusa on how to facilitate discussions with youth to encourage safer sexual practices through abstinence, being faithful, and when appropriate, correct and consistent use of condoms. Use of condoms after marriage for discordant couples will also be emphasized, along with the importance of testing and counseling.

In FY 2007, PC/Z will continue to manage its Volunteer Activities Support and Training (VAST) program, which enables communities to carry out small projects, training and educational events related to condoms and other prevention. All Zambia Peace Corps Volunteers will be eligible to request VAST grants for purposes approved in the COP.

PC/Z will procure and, when necessary, produce prevention training and other materials in local languages. Where available, PC/Z will reproduce materials developed by other USG partners and will ensure that all PEPFAR-funded materials are consistent with USG and host country policies and guidance. In addition, PC/Z will take advantage of the in-country expertise of other USG partners, particularly for the training of Volunteers.

To determine appropriate interventions, Volunteers conduct initial needs assessment at their sites and pre and post-tests to evaluate the success of their community activities.

Peace Corps/Zambia (PC/Z) serves as both a USG PEPFAR partner and an implementing partner, with programs in AB Prevention and Other Prevention Activities. PC/Z's Management and Staffing pillar includes the salary, benefits, anticipated travel and training costs for three full-time contract staff that support Volunteers working in these two program areas. The Management and Staffing structure is broken down as follows:

PEPFAR Director (current position) -The Director manages the technical, programmatic, and administrative aspects of the PC/Z PEPFAR program. This includes developing and overseeing activities approved in the Country Operating Plan (COP); managing PC/Z staff responsible for Volunteer training, placement and support; ensuring quality data collection and reporting; monitoring the budget; and participating fully as PC/Z's technical representative to the USG Zambia PEPFAR team.

Administrative Assistant (current position) - The Administrative Assistant works with PC/Z's Administrative Officer on all PEPFAR-related administrative tasks, particularly budget and finance functions.

Medical Officer (current position) - The Medical Officer is responsible for providing health care to the Volunteers funded by PEPFAR.