1. ICASA 2011 Tegbar Achamyeleh Save Your Generation Ethiopia
Feasible Communication Methods for HIV Prevention Addis Ababa Taxi Community HIV/AIDS Prevention Intervention Programme
ICASA 2011
Tegbar Achamyeleh
Save Your Generation Ethiopia

2. BACKGROUND
Numerous evidences show that large proportion of new HIV infections occur in young people
(14- 35);
According to BSS 2002,One or more misconceptions about HIV/ AIDS exist among
76.5% of Ethiopian youth,
89.6% youth Addis Ababa;
82.2% are out of school youth in Addis,
*BSS 2002, round one, pages (BSS Indicators for Uniformed Services, Transport Workers, Factory workers and Rural populations)

3. BACKGROUND
Majority of taxi community members in Addis are out of school, in the age range 15-35
BSS 2002 also revealed that among Taxi Community members,
81.4% were sexually active.
60.6% had one or more misconceptions
31.8% had multiple sexual partners
*Taxi Community is operationally defend as taxi drivers, their assistants and Informal Inspectors.

4. BACKGROUND
81.8% of taxi drivers and assistants chew chat and take alcohols regularly
61.7% had at least one stigmatizing attitude towards PLWHIV
Only 7.1 % had ever tested for HIV
Only 4-5% were willing to care for relative who is PLHIV

5. NEED FOR INTERVENTION
Based on a Formative Assessment conducted by fhi and AAHAPCO, it was found out that Taxi community in Addis Ababa have:
Very low risk perception
Misconceptions on modes of transmission & methods of prevention
Ignore the importance of HCT, unaware of existence services & immense fear of stigma & discrimination

6. NEED FOR INTERVENTION
Accept peer information than that of health educators
Use & Abuse drugs and substances
Potential customers of CSW
Most were in MCP network
They have never been targeted by any HIV/AIDS Intervention Programme

7. INCEPTION Project Title :
Addis Ababa Taxi community HIV Prevention Intervention Outreach Project
January 2004
SYGE, FHI, AHAPCO,
Objectives :
Increase awareness on HIV/AIDS
Increasing Self Risk Perception
Increase the need for HIV service Utilization
Promoting safer sex
*January , PEPFAR- IMPACT Project
* , The Royal Embassy of the Netherlands

8. Strategies: INCEPTION Interpersonal Communication using Peer
Leadership Approach
Community Capacity Enhancement
Life Skills
Strategic Steps
Step 1: stakeholder identification
Step 2: consensus building workshop with stakeholders
Dissemination of assessment findings and discussion. All stakeholders agreed that initiating an HIV prevention program among taxi society members was important and promised to support implementation
Step 3: planning to initiate the HIV prevention program in 20 pilot sites, and later – based upon lessons learned – expand to the entire city
Step 4: identification of 20 pilot sites with appropriate project stakeholders
Strategy design
Step 5: design & implementation of a targeted formative assessment & mapping of social networks among the taxi population: to provide key information for the design of the peer leadership strategy
Targeted formative assessment & mapping of social networks identified
The existing social networks, mobility, working and leisure time, influential persons, their sources of information, specific HIV intervention needs, selection criteria for peer leaders
Street dramas are important in triggering Group discussions
Step 6: strategy design workshop & agreement on core issues:
1. Identification of focal persons
inspectors
2. Four step cascade training to implement the Peer Leadership Program
core trainers, peer leadership trainers, peer leaders, peer beneficiaries
3. Selection process for each step in the cascade
Who, how, when
M&E
Step 7: Identification of focal persons
Focal persons were selected among Inspectors
Step 8: Curriculum design
Based on the targeted formative assessment & mapping findings
Step 9: Training manual adaptation and preparation
Adaptation of existing resource materials & manuals to tailor to the objectives identified in the curriculum design
Step 10: Conduct pilot training
Pre-testing of the manual & refinement
Step 11: Training of core trainers
20 core trainers from 20 sites
Step 12: Selection of peer leader trainers
From all taxi society members using the criteria set
Step 13: Training of peer leader trainers
98 peer leader trainers were trained by the 20 CT
Step 14: Social group identification & selection of peer leaders
553 social groups identified and 1 peer leader selected per social group
Step 15: Training of peer leaders
553 peer leaders were trained
Step 16: Implementation of the peer leadership program
Learning through group discussion, reinforcement activities (street drama, forum drama, hidden drama in minibuses, IEC material distribution, AB promotion, condom promotion and distribution, referral services, monitoring and supervision)
Step 17: Review of the pilot program
Achievements, challenges, strengths, weaknesses

9. INCEPTION Strategies Supportive/ Reinforcing Edutainment
Forum Drama, Street show
Tailored IEC/ BCC Materials
Sechento News Letters,
Posters, Leaflets
Network and Partnerships

10. OUT COME Comprehensive knowledge on HIV
Majority of the taxi community members have knowledge on HIV prevention and don’t have misconception on HIV as a cumulative effect good proportion of the community has comprehensive knowledge on HIV.

11. OUT COME Sexual behaviors
The proportion of taxi community members who stick to one regular partner had increased as compared to the baseline and multiple sexual partnership among partners who have regular partner dropped significantly

12. OUT COME
Condom use
High level of condom use with commercial sex workers and casual partners was reported

13. OUT COME Outcome of program
The taxi community members who were targeted by HIV prevention peer leadership programming showed statistically significant level of change on comprehensive HIV knowledge, condom use with casual partners and use of HIV related services like VCT which may be attributed to their exposure to the peer education intervention

14. SUCCESS Increased Awareness on HIV/ AIDS & STIs
Decreased Risky Sexual Behaviors
Safe Sex
Consistent Condom Use

15. SUCCESS
Improved Service Seeking behavior
VCT, Treatment linkages

16. SUCCESS Decreased Stigma and Discrimination towards PLHIV ;
self help groups mobilization

17. SUCCESS
Compassionate Network and Partnership

18. SUCCESS
Promises to change in Life Styles

19. SUCCESS
‘A recent skit reinforced me that I should keep myself safe and have safe sexual behavior. At the top of the list, even though I have casual sex and I have condoms, is to be faithful to my partner’’. A taxi driver
Driving HIV away
Steve Teravella
Family Health International

20. CONCLUSION
SYGE has been engaged in HIV/AIDS Intervention program among the taxi community members since 2004 to contribute to the national effort of reducing new infections of the epidemic and stigma and discrimination.
Yet there is a lot to be done.

21. RECOMMENDATION
The peer Leadership cascade implementation shall be strengthened to reach those unreached and those newly joined member of the Taxi Community.
The Programme shall be replicated to other regions and towns of the country in a comprehensive manner( Integrated RH Intervention) for all types of Transport workers in/across cities (Track Drivers, Bus Drivers, Bagage Drivers).

22. አመሰግናለሁ!!
Thank You for Your Attention!