There are two main goals under this mechanism: Goal 1: Rural communities develop and implement appropriate and sustainable HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention programs. Goal 2: Rural communities provide support for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and their providers/caregivers and families.

In FY 2010, Peace Corps Zambia (PC/Z)will continue with its program of enhancing community based development, coordination, and implementation of HIV prevention and support in the rural areas of Zambia, in line with the USG Mission and Zambian Government strategy. The findings of the 2007 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey indicate higher rates of infection in the older age groups and those that are married or in some type of union. Though infections peak later in men than in women, they are less likely to have accessed HIV-related services such as counseling and testing and are more likely to engage in high risk sexual activities. Younger unmarried females have rates that approximate those older men highlighting issues of trans-generational sex. The Zambia National Prevention Strategy and the USG/Zambia recommendations on Prevention both give priority to addressing multiple and concurrent partnerships and addressing alcohol and substance abuse. Both also identify male involvement within the programs and effective leadership as areas that are weak and need strengthening.

In line with these and the USG and Zambian Government Strategy, PC/Z will expand activities to address multiple and concurrent partnerships, change male norms that sustain sexual networks and provide training and support to traditional and local leaders to facilitate action and dialogue on these behaviors. With the regionalization plan, more support will be provided at a regional level with linkages to other prevention and care programs being strengthened to ensure communities served can have access to comprehensive interventions.

The activities carried out will address issues of gender; in particular, they will address harmful male norms using the support of traditional leaders and will also increase women's access to income and productive sources, through leveraging of VAST (Volunteer Activities, Support and Training) and other funds.

Activities will be carried out in villages within six provinces. Most of the sites are remote and rural. The activities will target 41,200 people in 160 Volunteer sites.

PC/Z has been integrating its HIV activities into all Peace Corps projects. Over the coming years, the number of Volunteers supported by PEPFAR will be decreased as the costs of carrying out the activities are aligned with those funded through the agency core budget. Staff costs being borne by PEPFAR will also be gradually moved to the appropriate budget. With full integration of HIV/AIDS into the existing projects, the cost of carrying out work in the area of HIV/AIDS will be a part of every Peace Corps project rather than a separate program on its own. This will not only improve efficiency but will ensure sustainability of the work beyond PEPFAR.

Peace Corps has developed a Volunteer Reporting Tool that enables Volunteers to track and report their work electronically. All Volunteers are trained and supported to use the tool and a database is maintained at post to track all work being done in each of the projects and in the HIV/AIDS initiative.

Volunteers and their counterparts will provide community-based social and prevention services. Volunteers will mainly build the capacity of community based home care providers and mobilize people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) to form community based support groups and also link the members to other care and support programs within the community. They will support behavioral interventions for prevention and link them to other partners providing the biomedical interventions.

Using the skills and expertise of the other Peace Corps projects (Linking Income Food and Environment and Rural Aquaculture), Volunteers will work with affected individuals and households to enhance food security through delivery of nutrition workshops, supporting nutrition gardening and fish farming. Peace Corps Volunteers will follow national nutrition guidelines Zambian Nutrition and HIV guidance.

Volunteers will work with communities to leverage VAST and other funds for income-generating activities, such as community gardens and fish farming for improved nutrition and food security for PLWHA, their families, and caregivers. Specific attention will be given to increasing women's opportunities to improving their economic status through these income- generating activities. Volunteers will also work with affected households to improve access to safe water and sanitation and they will coach family members in how to maintain a more hygienic environment for the chronically ill, particularly those who are bedridden.

Volunteers and their counterparts will target both HIV positive men and women in the age groups 15-49 years. As more women take on the role of care-giving, special emphasis will be given to training them and helping them access income generating activities.

The work will be undertaken in 26 districts in six provinces. Approximately 800 people living with HIV will be reached with the activities. In line with PEPFAR and the country strategy, PC/Z will increase access to comprehensive prevention services for PLWHA.

Volunteers will work closely with service outlets such as health clinics to notify nurses, other health workers or home based care teams of the need to visit a chronically ill person or to collect supplies to replenish a home care kit. Volunteers will also interact with representatives from other sectors such as agricultural extension agents and collaborate with entrepreneurs to establish nutrition gardens and income-generation activities.

PC/Z will conduct regular monitoring of the program through the Volunteer Reporting Tool and will coordinate and collaborate with other organizations providing care and support to ensure the work is in line with set national guidelines and standards. All Peace Corps Volunteers are trained in permagardening to encourage PLWHA to establish nutritious home gardens.

Volunteers and their counterparts will mobilize and facilitate community leaders to take the lead on prevention and get the community to address societal norms such as multiple and concurrent partnerships and age-disparate partnering. Volunteers will work especially with male groups (ages 20-49) to address male norms and behavior that put them at risk of HIV infection and help link them to HIV counseling and testing and other related services. Volunteers will conduct male engagement activities (three days or 21 sessions) based on Engender Health's "Men As Partners". Working with established groups such as fish farmers, farmers, teachers, women's groups, and church groups, Volunteers will conduct continuous education and re-enforcement of messages during regular monthly group meetings. They will also conduct five day trainings for peer educators within the groups to ensure sustainability beyond their service.

Volunteers continue to work with the older youth through school and community based programs to deliver culturally and age-appropriate AB messages with a focus on intergenerational as well transactional sex. Targeting older girls (15 to 24 years), Volunteers and their counterparts will work with health centre staff to support peer educators, establish youth-friendly centers for message and material dissemination, establish youth clubs, and also use sports and entertainment to build motivation and skills for HIV prevention. Volunteers will follow the Peace Corps Life Skills Manual, a comprehensive behavior change approach which has been used successfully by Peace Corps Volunteers worldwide since 2000. Training sessions (lasting five days or 24 sessions) on HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, and reproductive health will be integrated appropriately for different age groups and target audiences.

Volunteers will access the Volunteer Activities, Support and Training (VAST) program funds, to enable their communities carry out small projects, training and educational events related to AB prevention. Activities will include capacity building for community-based organizations carrying out prevention work, education activities using sports and entertainment, and commemoration of events like World AIDS Day. Volunteers will also use VAST funds for income-generating activities for community groups and clubs with specific attention being given to increasing young women's opportunities to improving their economic status through these income- generating activities.

Working with other PEPFAR funded and government programs, Volunteers will link the communities to counseling and testing services, male circumcision, and other areas of prevention.

The activities will occur in rural, remote villages in six provinces and will target 24,000 individuals.

Using the Peace Corps Volunteer Reporting Tool that Volunteers maintain of their activities, PC/Z will monitor and evaluate the progress of the activities in meeting the goals of the program.