Community Support & Development Services, Inc (CSDS) is a management capacity-building organization with responsibility of the financial and administrative management component of the Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and Prevention (GHARP II) Project, as well as for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the targets achieved and reported by the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under GHARP II Project.

The primary objective of CSDS under the project is Strengthen the financial and management (including governance) of NGOs in the USAID network to enable them to immediately expand HIV/AIDS services while simultaneously enhancing their quality and sustainability.

The GHARP II Project, through an integrated management approach with CSDS collectively serves the NGOs for implementation in geographic areas with target populations in administrative Regions # 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10.

CSDS works through developing, implementing, training and transferring a monitoring & evaluation system to the NGOs. Low-cost training methods are used whereby the NGOs receive on-site training and technical assistance with an annual class-room orientation. Further, Data Quality Assessments (DQAs) are done quarterly to reduce ineffectiveness and with the support of a customized database for efficient records management.

The transition process is an ongoing exercise and expects to complete by September 30, 2013. This would be verified by:(i) NGOs who received a M&E Database;(ii) NGOs with trained M&E staff;(iii) NGOs with a structured M&E system

Global Fund / Programmatic Engagement Questions

1. Is the Prime Partner of this mechanism also a Global Fund principal or sub-recipient, and/or does this mechanism support Global Fund grant implementation? Yes2. Is this partner also a Global Fund principal or sub-recipient? Neither3. What activities does this partner undertake to support global fund implementation or governance?

Budget Code Recipient(s) of Support Approximate Budget Brief Description of ActivitiesHVSI Civil Society Organizations 40000 SI Capacity building for prevention including VCT, PMTCT and care and support

In FY 12, seven key NGO/FBO partners will receive financial support from CSDS to continue to reach people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and their families. These NGOs are Hope for All, Lifeline Counseling Services, Love and Faith (Agape), Comforting Hearts, FACT, Hope Foundation, and Linden Care Foundation. To date, palliative care services have been provided to over 1000 PLWHA and their families in seven regions. Under this program, one of our USAID-supported NGOs, Hope for All in Region 2, occupies an office within the public hospital where a volunteer is on call to receive referrals of PLWHA from the doctors. This method, with an NGO working on site alongside the formal health care team, has strengthened the referral system and has greatly reduced the delay in a clients access to Home Based Care Services and support. All NGOs work closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) regional home-based care nurse supervisors, supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GFATM), who refer patients identified as positive to the NGOS to ensure a continuum of care. Once a referral is received the client is registered into the program and arrangements are made to do home visits, or, if the client is sick to do home care. In the home, an assessment of the needs of both the client and family is conducted by the nurse supervisor attached to Hope for All. Based on that assessment, a plan of care is drafted by the nurse supervisor, and is communicated to the volunteer(s) assigned to the case. This process is used for all NGOs involved in HBC activities. The package of care provided includes: 1.) Clinical care accompaniment, nutritional and hygiene counseling, adherence support, hospital visits to coordinate discharge planning, grief and bereavement counseling, provision of care packages, and basic nursing care in the home; 2.) Prevention education for family members, testing of family members and encouraging family members to be a source of support; 3.) Psychosocial support (Clients are invited to eventually join the NGO support groups once they have adjusted and accepted their diagnosis); 4.) Referral to a religious organization that is sensitive to HIV/AIDS issues; 5.) Linkages to social services such as welfare and legal services; and facilitating access to micro-enterprise initiatives and vocational skills training. The program is also helping PLWHA access to income generating activities and supportive skills building activities.

FY 12 will see the continuation of financial and administrative assistance to seven NGO/FBO partners to implement comprehensive orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) programs. These include Lifeline Counseling Services and AGAPE in Georgetown; Comforting Hearts, and FACT in the lower and upper Berbice areas, Linden Care Foundation in region 10 and Hope For all in region 2 and Hope foundation in region 7. Services offered to OVC include psychosocial counseling (individual counseling with OVC as well as parent/guardian counseling), homework supervision, medical referrals, nutritional assessment and counseling, adherence support, referring caregivers to social and legal services, access to micro-enterprise initiatives and vocational skills training for older youth, age appropriate prevention education and encouraging testing for family members.

CSDS will utilize standardized data collection forms for each program area, which were developed by the GHARP Project. Achievements reported by NGOs will be compiled in one database, and compared to program area targets. Quarterly data quality assessments will be conducted for each NGO, in order to monitor the utilization of the monitoring system and the accuracy of the data collected. CSDS will monitor and report on progress against the total program area targets and those individually set by the NGOs, in their annual monitoring and evaluation plan. CSDS will prepare semi-annual and annual reports, and achievements for submission to USAID for PEPFAR reporting. In this process the following are expected: Develop a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan, to measure the results achieved individually and collectively by the NGOs as well as to track the progress of capacity building activities of the organization within the first month of project implementation. Develop a data quality assurance plan to monitor the NGOs program monitoring systems and ensure uniform M&E systems and processes across NGOs, and the generation of high quality data within the first month of project implementation. Conduct monthly supervisory visits and quarterly data quality assurance reviews at each NGO, in order to monitor the utilization of the monitoring system, provide on-site guidance and mentoring and validate the accuracy of the data collected. Conduct an annual M&E workshop to share current M&E guidance, receive feedback and ensure uniform understanding of guidance across NGOs. Ensure NGO utilization of standardized data collection forms for each program area during M&E monitoring visits. Compile the achievements reported by the NGOs in one database and compare to program area targets. Monitor and report on progress against the total program area targets and those individually set by the NGOs/FBOs, in their annual M&E Plans. Prepare quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports on achievements for submission to USAID. Disseminate and provide technical assistance for the use of a NGO level program database. Maintain central M&E database for management of program data in order to prepare program reports to USAID.

The Government of Guyana, donors and civil society have recognized that in order to scale up the HIV response and achieve Guyanas goals, non-governmental (NGOs) and faith-based organizations (FBOs) have become important partners both as service providers and for advocacy. Many organizations have demonstrated increased capacity to rapidly scale up services but still require further assistance to enhance their administrative management and financial capacity. In addition, as the number of availability of funding reduces, efficiencies in these areas becomes critical. It also becomes increasingly necessary to address issues of sustainability. CSDS will continue to provide technical assistance in administrative and financial management to enable the NGOs to effectively delivery high quality HIV/AIDS services while simultaneously enhancing their capacity. Assistance will be provided in a targeted manner, focusing on direct management, onsite training and mentoring and other direct support, and when warranted, other formal training in the form of workshops to ensure long-term organizational sustainability. Thus, under the Other/Policy Analysis and System Strengthening program area, CSDS will continue to build the capacity of eleven USAID-supported NGOs to fulfill critical governance and administrative tasks: 1. Review and develop customized constitutions and guidelines for NGO boards; a. Train NGOs and their boards on final constitution 2. Update NGO Coordinating Committee Constitution; a. Train board on final constitution b. Participate in coordinating committees to oversee process 3. Develop customized staffing and volunteer policies for NGOs; a. Develop management plans b. Develop scopes of work for each position; 4. Develop conflict of interest policies; 5. Develop NGO guidelines for sub-contracting; and 6. Respond to NGO requests for on-site support. CSDS will continue to sub-contract a local accounting firm to provide oversight to its financial management of the NGOs through the review of financial systems and practices and the conduct of audits, thereby ensuring continuous quality improvement and quality assurance.

In FY 12, the following five NGO/FBO partners and the Guyana Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS will be supported to deliver counseling and testing: FACT, Hope for All, Hope Foundation, Linden Care Foundation and Youth Challenge Guyana. Of those six organizations, there is one mobile unit located at Youth Challenge Guyana. The NGOs/FBOs have been reaching clients with care and treatment services through their walk-in service and community outreach activities, utilizing both interpersonal and multi-media intervention. Persons who are tested positive through counseling and testing are referred to treatment services, home and community based programs. Emphasis is placed on most-at-risk populations (MARPs) and using VCT as an entry point for HIV care and treatment as opposed to knowing your status only. In FY 12 the NGOs/FBOs will continue to expand counseling and testing services access to key populations and communities, particularly underserved rural and hinterland communities. Couples counseling will also continue to be emphasized in FY 12 in an effort to increase the number of males who access care and treatment, reduce transmission between sero-discordant couples, and encourage faithfulness in concordant negative couples.

CSDS will disburse funds, manage and strengthen the financial systems to eight NGOs, Hope for All, Artists in Direct Support, Youth Challenge Guyana, FACT, Hope Foundation, Linden Care Foundation, the United Bricklayers and the Guyana Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS, working with most-at-risk populations (MARPs) in Guyanas highest HIV/AIDS affected regions. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the USAID-supported NGOs are working collaboratively and directing efforts at risk elimination and risk reduction among men who have sex with men (MSM) and commercial sex workers (CSWs). This program is implemented in Regions Four and Six and was expanded to Regions Two, Three, Seven, Eight and Ten in FY10. The NGOs currently work with street-based and brothel-based CSWs and their clients as well as MSM. Interventions include HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention education, including information on assessing, reducing and eliminating ones risk of infection through behavior change, as well as substance abuse. These are conducted through one-on-one interaction by outreach workers and peer education training. Outreach workers and peer educators (FCSW/MSM) also facilitate access to screening and treatment for HIV and other STI, assistance for care and treatment referrals, as well as access to affordable condoms. In FY 12, significant attention will be placed on evidence based strategies to reduce the risk among MSM, CSWs and miners and loggers.

CSDS will distribute funds to NGO working in care and support to strengthened case monitoring and reporting among HIV positive women and their babies. This program will be integrated within the care and support programs at seven NGOs.