Support to the Southern African AIDS Trust

Results achieved as of May 2013 include: The Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT) has increased the ability of 208 community-based organizations and 3 regional organizations to educate communities carry out advocacy for behaviour and policy change collect and analyze community-level information on HIV/AIDS and measure and monitor results. 2012-13 was the first year of the implementation of SAT’s Strategic Plan for 2012-2017. During the year SAT recruited 61 new country partners (40 of them focused on women’s health) and 1 regional partner. All the new partners received training and developed results-based plans to increase their chance of achieving tangible and measurable results. Other results achieved during 2012-2013 include: 213 young women and men aged 15-24 helped design and deliver youth-friendly services for people affected by HIV/AIDS. Interventions designed to change behaviours such as text messages dramas peer education and radio programs reached 6 960 youth. SAT partners reached close to 5 300 women and young girls through activities promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights and healthy choices. SAT collaborated with Malawi’s Ministry of Youth and National Youth Council to gather youth views on sexual and reproductive health and rights and many of the youth’s recommendations were integrated into a national policy and the national Youth Development Strategy. In general SAT partners are influencing community leaders and members to discourage cultural norms and practices that reinforce gender inequality and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS such as wife inheritance property grabbing child marriage intergenerational sex and unsafe traditional male circumcision. Across SAT’s countries of operation 54 opinion leaders spoke publicly in support of providing inclusive non-discriminatory services to people affected by HIV/AIDS. Building the skills of community organizations has contributed to improving services that reach more than 2 million p