Linked to Activities 10438, 9292, 10432.

SUMMARY: In FY 2007 the USG will provide funds to the Haiti Out-of-School Youth Livelihood Initiative (IDEJEN), implemented by the Education Development Center, to target out-of-school youth ages 15-24 with HIV/AIDS prevention messages integrated into their ongoing livelihoods program. IDEJEN will continue an established collaboration with the Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education (FOSREF), Management and Resources for Community Health (MARCH) and Fondation pour le Developpement et l'Encadrement de la Famille Haitienne (FONDHEF). IDEJEN will initiate a new partnership with the American Red Cross (ARC), a PEPFAR Track 1 partner for AB prevention activities, to provide technical assistance in developing prevention strategies using the ARC's Together We Can (TWC) project approach. The TWC project uses three outreach strategies—curriculum based interventions, peer to peer outreach, and "edutainment" events—to provide Haitian youth with knowledge and essential skills to avoid HIV infection. Partnership building, capacity building of CBOs and the engagement of adult stakeholders such as parents and teachers are also key elements of the approach. IDEJEN will collaborate with American Red Cross to reach out-of-school youth including OVC, restavek (marginalized domestic servants) and street youth ages 10-24 with a focus on youth ages 15-19. Peer educators will provide at-risk youth with relevant referral information to key AIDS services provided by other partners including HIV counseling and testing (CT), sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment and other prevention.

BACKGROUND: The IDEJEN program, funded by the USAID Education program has been implemented by the Education Development Center since 2003. IDEJEN works through community based youth-serving organizations (CBOs) through a sub-grant program and strengthens them to deliver much-needed education and job and life skills training. IDEJEN has developed an innovative program for out of school youth from marginalized pockets of Haitian society. Each CBO is provided with technical assistance in organizing the community, conducting community assessments and planning the program to maximum participation by parents/guardians and the youth themselves. This is an attempt to help communities drive out gang activity, take back their neighborhoods and empower out of school youth. CBOs are encouraged to work directly with the local authorities, MOH Departmental Directors, the Ministry of Youth and Social Affairs, and PEPFAR partners to ensure integration of prevention efforts targeting youth 15-24 years of age. IDEJEN began initially with 650 youth between 15 to 20 years of age in three target zones—Port-au-Prince slum areas in the West Regional Department, Jeremie (peri-urban) in Grande Anse Regional Department and Mirebalais (rural) in the Center Regional Department. IDEJEN provides non formal basic education and vocational training to at-risk youth who have had no or limited primary education. With the planned expansion in 2006, IDEJEN is expanding to four more regional departments for a total of seven with plans to reach 3,000 out of school youth. The program is one of the few organized programs which provides non formal basic education and vocational training to youth with no or limited formal schooling. The National Institute for Vocational Training (Institut National de Formation Professionnelle—INFP) and the Ministries of Education and Youth are key partners with IDEJEN in overseeing the vocational training, non-formal basic education and life skills education as a critical part of the program. For the past few years, partnerships have developed with key PEPFAR partners to incorporate HIV/AIDS information and education into the curriculum. These partners include: FONDHEF, working in an urban slum of Port-au-Prince, Carrefour-Feuilles with high levels of gang activity; with USG health partner MARCH in Central Plateau in Mirebalais and with FOSREF in Jeremie in the Grande Anse. Twenty-five percent of this activity is funded through the OP budget.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS: Activity 1: CBO capacity building for out-of-school youth prevention activities. Working through its 12 CBOs, IDEJEN will expand to a total of 42 educational and vocational training centers with support from USAID's education program in 2007. The USG will support the introduction and expansion of HIV/AIDS activities in up to half, or 21, of those centers. With technical assistance from ARC and its local Haitian Red Cross affiliate, adult leaders, parents and program monitors will be trained to incorporate HIVAIDS prevention into their on-going life skills programs. It is anticipated that IDEJEN will provide grants ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 to each CBO to support modest improvements in the community centers and counseling rooms; training and meeting

costs; and purchase HIV/AIDS materials and equipment for the peer education and outreach program. FY 2007 PEPFAR funds will go into these CBO grants to incorporate AB HIV/AIDS prevention activities into the life skills training.

Technical assistance will be provided from the Red Cross to help IDEJEN and its CBO partners and peer educators to begin to address CBO sustainability through better utilization of computers and their cyber cafes on a for-profit basis. It is anticipated that two CBO leaders and two parent volunteers will be trained from each CBO of the 21 CBOs for a total of 84 leaders and parents trained.

Activity 2: Establishment of a youth HIV/AIDS peer education and counseling program This activity will help each CBO to add an HIV/AIDS prevention AB peer education module into the ongoing training. Currently, the vocational training courses offered include sewing, plumbing, electrical works, auto repair, handicrafts, and processing of local agricultural products. This year a peer education component will be added in collaboration with the Red Cross. IDEJEN will hire a local HIV/AIDS Prevention Coordinator to plan and implement the peer education component. Of the 2,000 youth scheduled to participate in the IDEJEN program in 2007, IDEJEN will select up to 200 youth leaders to be trained as Youth Peer Educations for HIV/AIDS Prevention. The 42 IDEJEN Field Monitors will undergo a training of trainers (TOT) course and in turn be responsible for training the Youth Peer Educators with assistance from Red Cross and other PEPFAR partners. Training will include information on HIV/AIDS transmission; sexual health and reproduction; risk assessment, abstinence, secondary absence, fidelity, being faithful and risk reduction. 42 adults/parents will be trained to promote HIV/AIDS AB prevention in their communities

Peer Educators will provide information and counseling to their counterparts during evening and weekends and will refer youth to CT, family planning, STI, condoms and AIDS care and treatment services. Referrals with FOSREF, MARCH, and FONDHEF will also be strengthened. Peer Educators will be encouraged to organize post test clubs (for those who have been tested for HIV) to reinforce healthy behaviors, reduce risky sexual behavior, provide positive role models, address stigma discrimination and promote prevention messages and activities among positives. Approximately 200 youth will be trained as Youth Peer Educators and will reach around 20 of their counterparts each during outreach activities for a total of 10,000 youth reached with either AB or ABC prevention messages. Monitoring and Evaluation of these activities including data collection, use, quality and feedback will also be a continued and focused effort in FY07.

Linked to Activities 9790, 9292, 9322, 9281.

SUMMARY: In FY 2007 the USG will provide funds to the Haiti Out-of-School Youth Livelihood Initiative (IDEJEN), implemented by the Education Development Center, to target out-of-school youth ages 15-24 with HIV/AIDS prevention messages integrated into their ongoing livelihoods program. IDEJEN will continue an established collaboration with the Foundation for Reproductive Health and Family Education (FOSREF), Management and Resources for Community Health (MARCH) and Fondation pour le Developpement et l'Encadrement de la Famille Haitienne (FONDHEF). IDEJEN will initiate a new partnership with the American Red Cross (ARC), a PEPFAR Track 1 partner for AB prevention activities, to provide technical assistance in developing prevention strategies using the ARC's Together We Can (TWC) project approach. The TWC project uses three outreach strategies—curriculum based interventions, peer to peer outreach, and "edutainment" events—to provide Haitian youth with knowledge and essential skills to avoid HIV infection. Partnership building, capacity building of CBOs and the engagement of adult stakeholders such as parents and teachers are also key elements of the approach. IDEJEN will collaborate with American Red Cross to reach out-of-school youth including OVC, restavek (marginalized domestic servants) and street youth ages 10-24 with a focus on youth ages 15-19. Peer educators will provide at-risk youth with relevant referral information to key AIDS services provided by other partners including HIV counseling and testing (CT), sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment and condom outlets.

BACKGROUND: The IDEJEN program, funded by the USAID Education program has been implemented by the Education Development Center since 2003. IDEJEN works through community based youth-serving organizations (CBOs) through a sub-grant program and strengthens them to deliver much-needed education and job and life skills training. IDEJEN has developed an innovative program for out of school youth from marginalized pockets of Haitian society. Each CBO is provided with technical assistance in organizing the community, conducting community assessments and planning the program to maximum participation by parents/guardians and the youth themselves. This is an attempt to help communities drive out gang activity, take back their neighborhoods and empower out of school youth. CBOs are encouraged to work directly with the local authorities, MOH Departmental Directors, the Ministry of Youth and Social Affairs, and PEPFAR partners to ensure integration of prevention efforts targeting youth 15-24 years of age. IDEJEN began initially with 650 youth between 15 to 20 years of age in three target zones—Port-au-Prince slum areas in the West Regional Department, Jeremie (peri-urban)in Grande Anse Regional Department and Mirebalais (rural) in the Center Regional Department. IDEJEN provides non formal basic education and vocational training to at-risk youth who have had no or limited primary education. With the planned expansion in 2006, IDEJEN is expanding to four more regional departments for a total of seven with plans to reach 3,000 out of school youth. The program is one of the few organized programs which provides non formal basic education and vocational training to youth with no or limited formal schooling. The National Institute for Vocational Training (Institut National de Formation Professionnelle—INFP) and the Ministries of Education and Youth are key partners with IDEJEN in overseeing the vocational training, non-formal basic education and life skills education as a critical part of the program. For the past few years, partnerships have developed with key PEPFAR partners to incorporate HIV/AIDS information and education into the curriculum. These partners include: FONDHEF, working in an urban slum of Port-au-Prince, Carrefour-Feuilles with high levels of gang activity; with USAID health partner MARCH in Central Plateau in Mirebalais and with FOSREF in Jeremie in the Grande Anse. Seventy-five percent of this activity is funded through the AB budget.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS: Activity 1: With technical assistance from ARC and its local Haitian Red Cross affiliate, adult leaders, parents and program monitors will be trained to incorporate HIV/AIDS ABC prevention messages into their on-going life skills programs. AB and OP funds will be used to purchase HIV/AIDS materials and equipment for the peer education and outreach program.

Activity 2: Establishment of a youth HIV/AIDS peer education and counseling program This activity will help each CBO to add an HIV/AIDS prevention peer education module into the ongoing training. Currently, the vocational training courses offered include

sewing, plumbing, electrical works, auto repair, handicrafts, and processing of local agricultural products. This year a peer education component will be added in collaboration with the Red Cross. IDEJEN will hire a local HIV/AIDS Prevention Coordinator to plan and implement the peer education component. Of the 2,000 youth scheduled to participate in the IDEJEN program in 2007, IDEJEN will select up to 200 youth leaders to be trained as Youth Peer Educations for HIV/AIDS Prevention, including C messages. The 42 IDEJEN Field Monitors will undergo a training of trainers (TOT) course and in turn be responsible for training the Youth Peer Educators with assistance from Red Cross and other PEPFAR partners. Training will include information on HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention, sexual health and reproduction, self-risk assessment, developing risk reduction strategies, alcohol and drug abuse, and consistent and correct condom use. 42 adults/parents will be trained to promote HIV/AIDS ABC prevention in their communities.

Peer Educators will provide information and counseling to their counterparts during evening and weekends and will refer youth to CT, family planning, STI, and AIDS care and treatment services. Referrals with FOSREF, MARCH, and FONDHEF will also be strengthened. Peer Educators will be encouraged to organize post test clubs (for those who have been tested for HIV) to reinforce healthy behaviors, reduce risky sexual behavior, provide positive role models, address stigma discrimination and promote prevention messages and activities among positives. Approximately 200 youth will be trained as Youth Peer Educators and will reach around 20 of their counterparts each during outreach activities for a total of 10,000 youth reached with AB or ABC prevention messages.

Monitoring and Evaluation of these activities including data collection, use, quality and feedback will also be a continued and focused effort in FY07.