PSI

Social Marketing Association (SMA)/Namibia started operating in 1997 with the socially marketing of condoms and re-treatable mosquito nets on a small scale, from only one office. From these humble beginnings, SMAhas grown to an organization of 7 Regional Offices employing more than 40 qualified and well trained people permanently and directing the activities of a further approximately 400 field volunteers.

Health Areas

Child Survival, HIV, Malaria

Health Impact

SMA/Namibia estimates that in 2010, its products and services helped avert:

• 24,609 HIV & TB DALYs1
• 8,218 Reproductive Health DALYs
• 6,866 Malaria Control DALYs
1. 1. Source: The DALY (Disability-Adjusted Life Year) is a widely-used, credible metric that was first developed by the World Bank and is now routinely relied upon in the public health community.

Health Interventions

• Uniformed Services Personnel
• Concurrent Sexual Partnerships
• Cross-Generational Sex
• HIV Counseling and Testing

Improving Health in Namibia

Malaria

SMA's Malaria program started in 2005 and runs in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services with funding from the Global Fund. The areas of operation cover all the northern areas of Namibia affected by malaria. Pregnant women and children under 5 are the primary target group of the program with other vulnerable groups such as People Living with HIV/AIDS, TB patients and Pensioners forming the Secondary Target groups. The core strategy of the Malaria program covers the Social Marketing of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLIN), IEC material dissemination, Health Education and Research.

Distribution

LLINs are distributed through all parts affected by Malaria by way of the Social Marketing of the branded SupaNet plus or by free distribution of unbranded nets to vulnerable groups.

Social Marketed SupaNet plus nets are sold in the communities, especially among groups who can afford the highly subsidized charge through a system of direct sales as well as vendor and retail sales. Free, unbranded nets are distributed through SMA partnerships with other operational NGOs & FBOs to other vulnerable groups.

Communication

Through the development and dissemination of IEC materials covering facts about Malaria transmission as well as prevention and treatment of malaria, the wider community is reached in all local, understandable format. These messages are strengthened by presentations at clinics, discussion groups and awareness-raising events. Since the start of the program late in 2005, 122,383 people have been reached, 326022 items of IEC material distributed and 115,440 nets either sold at nominal cost or distributed free to vulnerable groups

Achievements

At the end of 2008 and in line with the SMA commitment to track the success of the Malaria program and to generate actionable evidence for its prevention, fieldwork for the 2nd Malaria TRaC- (Tracking Results Continuously) study began early in 2009.

Through the endless efforts of the Malaria Field Staff, communities displaced by annual flooding were reached, awareness meetings held and nets distributed in spite of enormous challenges to people and equipment. SMA played a substantial and proud role in the success achieved by the Ministry of Health in the Roll Back Malaria goals.

Safe Water/Child Survival

During 2009, the Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Department was formed to house both Malaria & Safe Water. A small pilot will be launched in August 2009 in one region which will lead to later roll-out to other regions. Other components such as diarrheal diseases will be added.

HIV

The SMA HIV Program consists of 3 projects:

• Corridors of hope
  The project aims to discourage coercive sex and cross-generational sex with specially targeted communities and sub-cultures where the incidence of transactional sex is high. Core messages include: HIV counseling & testing, Abstinence, Partner reduction, concurrent sexual partnering and correct & consistent condom use. The project reached more than 74,000 people during 2008.
• Workplace projects:
  PolAction – In partnership with the Ministry of Safety & Security, this project is tailored exclusively to the needs of Police Officers, their workplace and their family.

  MAPP – In partnership with the Ministry of Defense, this project serves all members of the Military and their families in Namibia.

• TUSANO

The core strategy of the project centers on psycho-social care and support, Behavior Change Communication (BCC), Health Education, Capacity Building and empowerment of PLHIV initiatives – all evidence based through research.
Trainings of PLHIV include: Legal right * Gardening & Nutrition * Home Based Care * Income generating activities * Trauma & group counseling * Treatment adherence * Facilitation skills.

Target Populations

Sexually active population, mobile populations, soldiers and other uniformed officials, pregnant women, children under five and people living with HIV/AIDS.