HIV and AIDS awareness in the increase
Fri, 18 December 2009
“ We understand that we can live a good life if we know our status. We can learn to share and help one another. We do not want to get sick.’ Tysie and David Allens [ Translated from Afrikaans]
REPORT 1: Hantam Community Education Trust: Community HIV/AIDS awareness and testing
The Hantam Community Education Trust HIV and AIDS programme forms part of a more holistic intervention in the community, which includes education on hygiene and healthy living, effective parenting, growing vegetable gardens, preventing and addressing alcohol abuse, enabling family planning and encouraging HIV testing. The programme will include an intensive programme of HIV and AIDS awareness-raising and voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) in the rural communities surrounding Hantam in the Northern Cape.
The programme runs from May 2009 to April 2010.
Outputs and impact
65 people have been counselled during 59 visits to 28 local farms. 33 people agreed to undergo HIV testing; two of those tested positive and were counselled. Since the Trust began its VCT programme in 2002, it has tested 133 people, and has identified 100 sexually active men and women who have not yet agreed to be tested.
Hantam has identified three community members living with AIDS who are on antiretroviral (ARV) medication. They receive regular support and access to treatment through Hantam. Two more community members are HIV positive but have not yet begun ARV treatment; their health status is also constantly monitored.
The clinic has collected R16,479 in fees since the beginning of the year, which is approximately 27% of the total cost of medicines used in a year. This income contributes to the sustainability of the organisation and gives an indication of the buy-in from the community.
Expenditure
The cost of the project was R63,922 with R 40,946 still to be paid. This budget is a portion of a larger intervention, which is funded with additional funding from other donors.
| Description | Total Budget | Total Expenses to date |
| General workers and Administration | 710 | 710 |
| Clinic Staff - Part Time | 990 | 990 |
| Health workers | 18 750 | 6 250 |
| Insurance | 100 | 100 |
| Printing | 40 | 40 |
| Auditing | 68 | - |
| Fundraising | 100 | 100 |
| Telephone and Postage | 160 | 120 |
| General expenses | 100 | 100 |
| Rations | 40 | 40 |
| Workman’s compensation and Bank charges | 117 | 117 |
| Vehicle Maintenance | 19 023 | 6 341 |
| Vehicle Fuel | 20 400 | 6 800 |
| Vehicle Replacement | 100 | 100 |
| Building | 60 | 60 |
| Furniture | 150 | 150 |
| Stationary | 50 | 50 |
| Medicines (HIV/AIDS) | 2 964 | 985 |
| TOTAL | 63 922 | 22 976 |
Monitoring and evaluation
Hantam follows well-structured monitoring, reporting and evaluation systems in order to maintain the quality of their programmes and identify arising issues in need of special intervention.
Health workers compile weekly reports including a detailed description of home visits, family situations, challenges faced and required follow-up steps. Counselling and testing sessions are recorded in individual’s file, together with home and farm visit reports.
Health workers and clinic staff meet weekly to monitor the progress of the project and to outline the next steps for individual cases. The meeting also provides staff with an opportunity to highlight and worrying health developments or need for referrals. The project manager responsible for coordinating outreach activities prepares and monitors projected weekly planning. She is also responsible for compiling quarterly reports, which serve to assess programme progress over time.
Clinical staff record and track their activities, including statistics on medicines provided, number of patients visited, cash-flow status, and so on. The clinical manager compiles these weekly reports into a monthly report which is then submitted to Hantam Director.
Conclusions
Hantam provides a holistic health service to a very isolated farming community, which is tailored to the needs of the families living on farms. They are meticulous in the monitoring of their various programmes.
More and more men and women are overcoming the stigma attached to HIV and are going for regular testing. Hantam has far exceeded its initial target of 26 VCT sessions. Even though there are only a handful of known cases of HIV infection, it is essential to continue raising awareness around the need for responsible sexual practices as well as the inclusion of those living with HIV and AIDS in the lives of the communities.
