|
PSI/Rwanda
|
Program
Focus: |
HIV/AIDS, malaria, reproductive
health,
child survival |
|
Target
Regions: |
HIV/AIDS: nationwide, with a focus on Butare, Ruhengeri, Kibungo
and Kabuga for youth-friendly service delivery;
Malaria and Reproductive Health: nationwide;
Child Survival: nationwide
|
|
Target
Population: |
Youth 15-24, Uniformed personnel (Military, Local Defense, National
Police), Incarcerated Persons, Commercial Sex Workers; Married
Couples; Pregnant Women and parents of children under five, Children
under 5; Women of Reproductive age 15 to 49.
|
|
| 2006 Estimated Health Impact: |
Episodes of malaria averted: 4.3 million
(explained)
Unintended pregnancies averted: 47,000
(explained)
|
|
Products: |
Primo pre-packaged ACT malaria treatment since 2007
Confiance combined oral contraceptives since 2006
Confiance three-month injectable contraceptives since
2006
ABAJENE! youth abstinence and fidelity program since 2005
Healthy Schools Initiative voluntary counseling and testing
(VCT) and behavior change communication since 2005
Tuzanet long-lasting insecticide-treated nets since
2005
Mamanet long-lasting insecticide-treatned nets through
public sector antenatal services since 2005
Karishya Force re-treatment kits since 2003
Sûr'Eau safe water treatment since 2002
Centre Dushishoze youth friendly voluntary counseling
and testing (VCT) centers since 2001
Prudence Plus condoms since 1996
|
|
Local
Collaboration: |
Ministry of Health, National AIDS Control
Program, National Malaria Control Program, local and international
NGOs,
local faith-based organizations and provincial governments, and
UN agencies. |
|
Current
Donors: |
British Department for International Development (DFID)
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Federal Republic of Germany through
KfW Entwicklungsbank (the German development bank)
The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
The International Youth Foundation on the Alliance for African
Youth Employability Initiative (IYF and AAYE)
UNAIDS
Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
Multi-sectoral Prevention of HIV/AIDS (MAP)
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
U.S. Centers
for Disease Control
|
|
| Year Program Began: |
1993 |
|
Project Activities and Highlights
PSI/Rwanda works closely with local organizations implementing
programmatic activities to create a sustainable system of health impact
among at risk populations. In order to effectively guide programs and
evaluate their impact, PSI/Rwanda takes an evidence-based approach
to program design and implementation, using available data and research
to identify target audiences and factors associated with behavior.
HIV/AIDS
|
| • |
The Healthy Schools Initiative
PSI/Rwanda engages secondary schools and communities in the fight
against HIV/AIDS through training, communications programs,
capacity-building for teachers and parents, and student-run
anti-AIDS clubs. The project aims to improve parent-child communication
by building the capacity for parents to speak openly with their
children about reproductive health, sexuality, and HIV and AIDS.
|
| • |
Centre Dushishoze
Meaning “Think about it,” Dushishoze
centers are designed to make young people feel at ease and
express themselves freely about their sexual health. Centers
provide reproductive health services, voluntary counseling
and testing (VCT), family planning (FP) services and treatment
of sexually transmitted
infections
(STI) to sexually active youth ages 15-24.
|
| • |
ABAJENE! Mass-Media Communications
As a well-known local language rallying cry for youth, ABAJENE!
supports the community-based Centre Dushishoze and Healthy
Schools Initiative programs with mass-media communications,
strengthening key messages at a national scale. The program
encourages open communication between boys and girls through
mass media communications. In addition to a quarterly printed
magazine, ABAJENE! hosts a weekly live participatory radio
program that promotes the benefits of abstinence and delayed
sexual debut, making both more viable options for young people
facing social and cultural pressure to engage in sex.
|
| • |
High-Risk Targeted BCC and Mobile VCT
PSI/Rwanda uses multiple approaches to reach the highest at-risk
groups in Rwanda. Specifically targeting members of the military,
incarcerated persons and commercial sex workers, PSI/Rwanda
provides mobile VCT services and behavior change communications
on a national level. PSI engages community members by training
‘peer educators’ to provide information and positive choices
for healthy behavior.
|
| • |
Religious Leaders Collaboration
In early 2007, PSI worked in partnership with the national umbrella of religious
leaders, Ministry of Health and National AIDS Control Program to organize the
a national religious leaders conference on "the role of religious leaders
in implementing Rwanda's national family planning and HIV prevention policies".
The event pulled together 250 of the most senior religious leaders from Rwanda's
five main religious institutions (Catholic, Protestant, Anglican, Evangelical
and Muslim) and resulted in a signed common declaration of support for these
policies from the five main denominations.
|
| |
back to top
|
|
Malaria
|
| • |
Awareness, Education & Prevention PSI/Rwanda’s
comprehensive malaria program is designed to:
— Increase public awareness of the severity of malaria through
interpersonal, mid-level, and mass media behavior change communications
campaigns.
— Increase informed demand for long lasting insecticide treated
nets (LLITNs) through a strong brand marketing campaign.
— Increase equitable access to affordable nets through commercial,
public sector antenatal and community-based distribution channels.
— Improve use of behavioral tracking surveys and GIS distribution
mapping for evidence-based programmatic decision-making. |
| • |
The Total Market Approach
In 2007, PSI/Rwanda plans to launch the first nationwide, highly
subsidized pre-packaged artemisinin-based combination malarial
therapies (ACT), to engage the private sector in improving the
percent of fevers that are treated within the critical 24 hour
time period among children under five. By engaging public sector
health facilities, community health workers and private sector
pharmacists,
PSI/ Rwanda is using a “Total Market” approach to maximize access
to the nation's first new anti-malarial treatment (Coartem ACT,
Launched in 2006). This innovative approach is made possible through
a strong partnership with the national malaria control program
and the drug regulatory authorities within the Ministry of Health. |
| |
back to top |
|
Reproductive Health
|
| • |
Family Planning
In 2005, PSI/Rwanda launched a new family planning program designed
to increase the modern contraceptive prevalence rate by increasing
availability of affordable hormonal contraceptives and condoms
through private sector and community-based distribution. All
communications efforts target the complex personal and social
issues that drive unmet need in Rwanda, including fear of side
effects, myths and misconceptions about hormonal contraceptives,
and real and perceived social norms that pressure women and men
to have children before they are ready. |
| |
back to top
|
|
Child Survival
|
| • |
Safe Water
According to the 2005 DHS, only 2.5% of Rwandans have piped water
inside their dwellings, which is considered to be the safest
source of water. Sûr'Eau is a chlorine based solution
that is added to water to make it sanitary. When used correctly
and
consistently as part of a “safe water system”, which includes
proper personal hygiene, correct water storage and handling,
and correct and consistent water treatment, PSI/Rwanda's Sûr'Eau
prevents most waterborne infections. |
| |
back to top |
|
 |
 |
A massive child survival
campaign in Rwanda combined free mosquito nets with measles
vaccinations for children. Here, a porter carries nets to a distribution
station.
|
|
 |
Africa Malaria Day 2007 brought the launch
of the world's first country specific pre-packaged ACT, Primo.
|
|
|
