enhanced voice against HIV/AIDs Infection” (Evain)

“An enhanced voice against HIV/AIDs Infection”

2.0. INTRODUCTION
Rural Focus Initiative – Uganda (RUFI – U) a community based organization located in Nyamwamba division, Kasese municipality, Kasese District, western Uganda is a nonprofit, denominational, political and sectarian organization that was formed in 2016.

Rural focus initiative-Uganda was founded by community welfare minded people with an aim of empowering the community in the fight against poverty, address human rights related abuses and revive positive cultural/traditional norms or values in society, unemployment, Teenage marriages and pregnancies, diseases spread through information accessibility and training service provision. The Organization is run by competent staff members under the stewardship of a board of trustees

The organization is registered by the district local government under reg. number NY|CBS|1981 and is working with different stakeholders to achieve her aim.

3.0. PROBLEM STATEMENT
Kasese municipality is a cosmopolitan community with different tribes who share different values, culture and beliefs. This explains the high population pressure in the area. The municipality consists of three divisions among them being Nyamwamba division our centre of focus; this is one of the highly populated divisions, with “high class” slum characters such as high crime rates, prostitution, and drug abuse. It is a local bar dominated area with high levels of youth unemployment and surrounded by institutions of learning that feeds those bars with both boys and girls. Therefore there is high levels of unclassified prostitution (commercial sex), drug abuse which has led to unwanted pregnancies, early marriages as a result of early sex which is unguided and unprotected. All these act as strong drives to HIV/AIDs prevalence.
There are a number of government and non government actors who have come in to help solve/mitigate the problem that is, Nyamwamba division local government, Act4Africa, Rwenzori Peace Bridge for Reconciliation(RPBR) , police, National Youth organization for Development(NAYODE) and other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) for example a report by Kasese District local government indicated 8.2% of HIV prevalence rate being above the national rate of 7.3% and the New Vision report issued on 25th July 2015, indicated that HIV infections in Kasese District are no receding. The same report is calling for more efforts in areas of sensitization, circumcision, condom use, and change in mind set, abstinence and moral rehabilitation.
However, the problem has still needed input to completely eradicate it. It is against this back ground that RUFI – U would like to step in to intensify these methods.

4.0. OVER ALL OBJECTIVE:
HIV/AIDS free community aware of the disease preventive measures.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE
1. To intensify awareness about HIV/AIDS and other precarious diseases in the community.
2. To extend guidance and counseling and other health related service nearer to the community.
3. To engage other relevant stake holders in the fight against HIV/AIDS spread.

5.0. INTENDED PROJECT ACTIVITIES
1. Establish and train VSHAT (village sex health awareness team) and local leaders
2. Youth trainings
3. Condom supply
4. HIV/AIDS testing
5. Establish a Mobile community health information center (MCHIC)
6. Monitoring and evaluation.

6.0. TARGET POPULATION
The project will benefit 2900 people directly and indirectly who include both the youth in and out of schools from the nine (9) wards of Nyamwamba Division. Targeting 350benefiting directly, that is, taking ten (10) from each cell and five students from each of the twelve (12) higher institutions of learning.

7.0. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
The project will involve engaging local leaders in the area through trainings, a team of village sex/health awareness personnel will be trained to keep training other. A team of consultants form the area health centre will be consulted to conduct HIV/AIDS testing while Rural Focus Initiative-Uganda team in partnership with other CSOs like Act4Africa, Medicine Sans Frontiers (MSF) will conduct trainings, guidance and counseling as shall be required.