New Era

WINDHOEK - Recently, a week-long stakeholders workshop to learn new methods and communication tools to improve HIV/AIDS prevention programmes were held to help change attitudes towards the pandemic.

Among those who attended the event were project directors, programme coordinators, finance officers, and M&E specialists from the Chamber of Mines in Otjiwarongo, Sam Nujoma Multi-Purpose Center in Ongwediva, the Rhenish AIDS Programme in Rehoboth, Change of Life Styles (based in Windhoek), Walvis Bay Multi-Purpose Center, and the Namibian Association of Community-based National Resource Management Support Organizations.

The workshop was presented by Communication for Change (C-Change) and was designed to help Namibian NGOs strengthen their communication strategies and prevent new HIV infections, is was mentioned in a press release.

These Namibian organisations currently implement programmes that focus on HIV prevention, including the adoption of healthy life-style choices and the rejection of risky behaviour that lead to HIV/AIDS.

They do this work in the mines, fisheries and other workplaces, schools, churches, and communities throughout Namibia. This was C-Change's first workshop with Namibian community-based and faith-based organizations funded by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

C-Change is a USAID-funded programme brought to Namibia to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of communication for behaviour and social change. The programme is led by the Academy for Educational Development (AED). In mid-July, C-Change formed a strategic alliance with PACT, an NGO strengthening behaviour change communication efforts of Namibian partner organizations to prevent the spread of HIV.

AED trainers and PACT programme staff reviewed principles and theories of behaviour and social change, educational methodologies and learning styles, and communication strategies. Workshop participants formulated behaviour change communication strategies for their programmes in the prevention of HIV.
They identified target knowledge, attitudes and behaviour, set objectives, and strengthened their programme structures. In addition, they planned ways to improve monitoring and evaluation so that the impact of programmes directed at preventing HIV infection could be determined.

C-Change director, Dr Elizabeth Burleigh, explained that the recent data from the Demographic and Health Survey has shown that new HIV infections continue to be a serious concern in Namibia. Many new HIV infections are due to risky behaviour that could be reduced if HIV and AIDS programmes are focused more on helping people understand how their behaviour can increase their risk of infection with HIV.

For this reason, the PEPFAR funded C-Change programme is designed to assist community-based Namibian implementing organizations to strengthen their behaviour change communication approaches to help prevent the spread of HIV in Namibia.

PACT consultant Nelson Prada explained that the C-Change behavioural workshop is to help organizations "see programmes in a more holistic way, and help people to consider all aspects of their behaviour change programmes - structure, objectives, indicators, and who they are serving. It is not just about writing objectives, but making sure that those objectives can be accomplished."

Olivia Namkomba, Director of the Walvis Bay Multi-Purpose Center, defined the value of the workshop: "The whole workshop teaches us how to design a behaviour change programme for our target audience so they are at the centre of the programme and it becomes need-based and relevant."

In Namibia, C-Change will continue to work with community-based, non-governmental, and faith-based organizations to design and implement behaviour change communication programmes that address HIV and AIDS prevention, testing, and care and support. C-Change provides formal and informal training, mentoring, and direct technical assistance to Namibian organizations receiving funding from the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

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