Detailed Mechanism Funding and Narrative

Years of mechanism: 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Details for Mechanism ID: 16768
Country/Region: Lesotho
Year: 2013
Main Partner: Mothers2mothers
Main Partner Program: NA
Organizational Type: NGO
Funding Agency: USAID
Total Funding: $400,000

Mother to Mothers (m2m) will implement a prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) peer education and psychosocial support project in Lesotho. Project objectives are in line with the Partnership Framework and GHI strategy. The technical approaches outlined for the Mentor Mothers Reducing Infections through Support and Education (RISE) Project are designed to have a far-reaching impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Lesotho. m2m will provide peer-based PMTCT and maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) education and psychosocial support for pregnant women and new mothers in public health facilities and communities by employing and training mothers living with HIV who have experienced PMTCT care as Mentor Mothers and Community Mentor Mothers. These Mentor Mothers will work alongside doctors and nurses, implementing partners and key community structures providing critical PMTCT/MNCH education. The Mentor Mother model of harnessing communities capacity and introducing a new tier of trained, professionalized lay health workers has been recognized as a critical contribution to effective service delivery and strengthening health workforce capacity in the elimination of new HIV infections among children by 2015. m2m will use programmatic strategies depending on the local PMTCT/MNCH context. The program strategies are well-researched approaches to increasing utilization of PMTCT/MNCH services, through addressing barriers to uptake of prevention, care, and treatment services and creating linkages to care and treatment. The implementation strategies include:

1. Direct Service Delivery at health facility and community level

2. Capacity Building for Governments and local implementing partners

3. Provision of technical advisory services.

Funding for Health Systems Strengthening (OHSS): $0

**Not Provided**

Funding for Biomedical Prevention: Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT): $400,000

m2m will deliver Mentor Mother services at both the facility and in the community. Facility-based Mentor Mothers services will include educating HIV-positive, -negative, and -unknown pregnant women and new mothers in group health talks, encouraging them to test for HIV, and providing focused education and support on an array of health issues including HIV/AIDS, PMTCT, MNCH, disclosure, safe motherhood, negotiating safer sex, family planning, infant feeding, infant testing and nutrition, as well as tuberculosis pre-screening and education, cervical cancer education and referral, neonatal male circumcision education and referral, and gender-based violence support and referral. This will be done in Group health talks with women; One-on-one interactions between the Mentor Mother and the client; Support group sessions for sharing of experiences, learning, and coping strategies; Couples interactions with female clients and their male partners; Couples support groups; Targeted client follow-up to track mothers and infants lost to care; and, Referrals to relevant maternal and child health services.

Facility-based model sites are a key component of a national Mentor Mother Program. The model sites will be pivotal in supporting the capacity development of local partners by providing a platform for demonstrative knowledge and skills transfer for partners.

In select countries, m2m will implement a portfolio of strategic model sites where targeted innovations will be developed, tested and re-designed for scale-up.

In the community, m2m will pursue a three-pronged approach to build demand for care:

1. Clinical outreach through partnerships with community-based organizations and community health workers, as well as working within existing community-based structures. m2m will building new partnerships with organizations to increase community access to health services. Mentor Mothers and CHWs will collaborate with and complement each other by providing linkages between facilities and communities to support clients and provide education on PMTCT.

2. Demand creation by deploying Community Mentor Mothers (CMMs) to canvas communities, identifying HIV-positive, -negative, and unknown pregnant women eligible for care and encouraging early access to care.

3. Public awareness raising through group health talks, advocacy, and information, education, and communication (IEC). m2m will develop IEC materials such as posters, brochures, and videos for Community Mentor Mothers to use as part of their outreach to women, their partners, and families to educate them on available PMTCT/MNCH care and correct misconceptions or misunderstandings. In 2013, m2m will research and develop an IEC strategy with corresponding materials to reach HIV-positive and -negative women, and their partners in a comprehensive manner.

M2m will also provide technical advisory services to local implementing partners, Government of Lesotho on the implementation of the mentor mother model. Building on m2ms expertise in PMTCT care and support, m2m will contribute to national PMTCT response coordination as well as conduct a number of activities to determine the success of similar peer education programs. These activities may range from technical assistance in the development of relevant guidelines to analysis and assessment services for partners currently implementing peer education activities.

Cross Cutting Budget Categories and Known Amounts Total: $300,000
Food and Nutrition: Policy, Tools, and Service Delivery $50,000
Gender: Gender Based Violence (GBV) $50,000
Gender: Gender Equality $50,000
Human Resources for Health $150,000
Key Issues Identified in Mechanism
Implement activities to change harmful gender norms & promote positive gender norms
Increase gender equity in HIV prevention, care, treatment and support
Increasing women's legal rights and protection
Child Survival Activities
Safe Motherhood
Tuberculosis