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PSI implements national-level HIV/AIDS prevention programs in 35 African
nations, including Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland,
Zambia, Zimbabwe, and the seven countries participating in one of its
regional programs in Southern Africa, Corridors of Hope. This
program initially was designed to proliferate and strengthen condom
social marketing activities for the prevention of HIV/AIDS at key cross-border
locations in Zambia and Zimbabwe, since extended into Lesotho, Namibia,
Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland. Activities focus on the five
highest-risk target groups, commercial sex workers, truckers, informal
traders, uniformed officials, and adolescent girls. Since the program's
inception, PSI has dramatically expanded the number of outlets that
sell social marketing condoms and implemented branded advertising and
promotional activities. In addition, PSI has developed information,
education, and communication messages and materials to raise awareness
about the risks of HIV and encourage the adoption of behaviors to prevent
HIV infection among target groups.
Descriptions of each PSI country affiliate and Corridors of Hope projects
are provided below.
| PSI/Lesotho |
With the goal of slowing the increase in Lesotho's
HIV rates by increasing condom use among high-risk groups, PSI opened
an affiliate in Lesotho to facilitate active distribution of PSI-branded
Lovers Plus and Trust condoms, now
the cornerstone of Corridors of Hope (COH) activities in this landlocked
country. Condom availability is the most urgent problem at border
sites such as Maseru and  Maputsoe.
Consequently, PSI/Lesotho, in concert with CARE/Lesotho, has focused
its efforts on ensuring that target populations such as commercial
sex workers, truckers, taxi drivers and migrant workers in these
border towns have easy and affordable access to condoms. Through
the COH project, PSI/Lesotho is currently working with high-risk
outlets such as bars, cafes, and other small shops that are open
late and in close proximity to centers of commercial sex to ensure
that condoms are available in these highly frequented locations.
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| PSI/South Africa |
Since 1992, local PSI affiliate, Society for Family
Health (SFH) has been committed to implementing a successful social
marketing program in South Africa. Distribution and promotion of
PSI-branded male condoms Lovers Plus and Trust,
and female condom Care are the focus of South Africa's
 Corridors
of Hope activities. Increasing accessibility of condoms in non-
traditional outlets and opening new outlets in petrol stations are
paramount to SFH's goal of decreasing HIV rates by ensuring maximum
convenience and affordability. SFH is also liaising with local trucking
and taxi companies to promote Lovers Plus, Trust,
and care through truck and taxi branding; high visibility
of such vehicles in border areas makes them ideal marketing mediums.
SFH is also promoting public awareness of HIV/ AIDS through a campaign
of local language radio spots; billboards, posters and wall paintings
in key locations; and training Center for Positive Care (CPC) volunteers
on techniques for implementing a successful "Abasha Phezulu"
youth peer education program. |
| PSI/Zambia |
Nine years of condom social marketing in Zambia give
PSI local affiliate Society for Family Health (SFH) great strength
in promoting Corridors of Hope. SFH has sought to destigmatize the
use of  condoms
through a comprehensive communication and promotional campaign to
increase awareness of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Its efforts have centered on the promotion and distribution of PSI-branded
Maximum male condoms and Care female
condoms as part of a larger, very successful safe-sex awareness
campaign through radio, television, print, and outdoor advertising.
Large musical events such as "Chirundu Alive," have proven
extremely effective in disseminating messages about HIV/AIDS prevention
and in normalizing discussion about condoms. SFH has successfully
expanded COH activities initiated in the city of Chirunu to other
high-risk areas such as Livingstone, Chipata, Kapiri-Mposhi, and
Kasumbalesa Nakonde. |
| PSI/Zimbabwe |
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In addition to the successful implementation of the Corridors
of Hope /Zimbabwe pilot program in the city of Beitbridge, PSI/Zimbabwe
capitalizes on experiences gained by social marketing PSI-branded
Protector Plus male condoms and Care
female condoms over the past several years. In concert with
clinical service providers Development Aid from People to People
(DAPP/Hope Humana) and Project Support Groups (PSG), PSI/ Zimbabwe
has implemented successful COH projects with emphasis on increasing
access to quality condoms, such as Protector Plus and care,
and services provided at voluntary counseling and testing (VCT)
centers in border towns and on trucking routes throughout Zimbabwe.
 PSI/Zimbabwe
is also expanding current workplace condom social marketing initiatives
to promote condom use through local border employers such as immigration
offices, trucking companies and clearing agents. Marketing also
exploits posters, billboards and directional signs communicating
messages on HIV/AIDS prevention, safe sex practices, and the significance
of STI treatment and its availability at COH program clinics.
Used at points of high congregation along the highway, these have
proven an effective means of parlaying the HIV/AIDS prevention
message to a mobile populace at highest risk.
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| PSI/Namibia |
PSI implements the Corridors of Hope project in Namibia
through its local affiliate, the Social Marketing Association (SMA).
Focusing on  commercial
sex workers and their clients, SMA has recently established the
coastal towns of WalvisBay and Katema Malelo as two primary intervention
locations. As the Namibia COH program develops, social marketing
activities will extend to other high-risk populations such as truck
drivers, adolescents and informal traders. SMA's primary efforts
at each border site focus on male and female condom social marketing,
including promotion of PSI-brand Maximum Gold male
condoms and care female condoms, and information and education
and communication (IEC) activities, including education generic
contraceptive use and HIV/AIDS awareness. |
| PSI/Swaziland |
| April 2003 marked the first involvement of PSI/Swaziland
in the Corridors of Hope HIV/AIDS prevention program. Project activities
in Swaziland are carried out in collaboration with the Family Life
Association (FLAS), a group specializing in implementation of interpersonal
education activities, and target a variety of groups from pedestrians
and truckers crossing the country's main border posts, to the thousands
of migrant workers who frequent Swaziland's main factory area, Matsapha.
Free condoms are made available at key locations and to those NGOs
who attend training on condom promotion and proper condom storage.
The distribution of free unbranded condoms both supplements and
complements the sales of PSI branded Lovers Plus and
Trust condoms through retailers and wholesalers in
the Corridors of Hope sites. To further enhance the availability
of condoms, PSI/Swaziland has opened new condom outlets thereby
increasing the overall number of retail outlets selling condoms
in project areas. |
| PSI/Mozambique |
Corridors of Hope activities were launched in Mozambique
in July 2003. The overall goal of the Maputo Corridors of Hope Project
is to reduce the transmission of HIV and other STI's in three sites
along the Maputo Corridor (Frigo, outside of Maputo; Ressano Garcia
at the South Africa border and Namaacha at the Swaziland border)
through condom social marketing, peer education and interpersonal
communication activities. Jeito, Mozambique's male
condom, is made available by metal condom dispensers-"condo-cans"-at
several key points along the border posts. PSI works with partners
AVIMAS and Medicos del Mundo Portugal in implementing the peer education
and interpersonal communication components of the project. Target
groups include sex workers and truck drivers in Frigo, miners, uniformed
officials and high risk women in Ressano Garcia, and in Namaacha,
informal traders and young girls in the local boarding school. Peer
educators receive training in a variety of subjects including STD/HIV
transmission, symptoms and prevention; and participatory approaches
to outreach. |
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For more info on the USAID-sponsored Corridors of
Hope program, click here. |
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