The National AIDS Coordinating Agency, (NACA) has signed grant agreements to fund Tertiary Education Council and Makgabaneng with the aim to strengthen HIV prevention in Botswana through new and innovative approaches.
The grant agreements will see the two institutions being funded to the tune of over P26 million.
Makgabaneng, a Civil Society Organization which has been producing and airing a radio drama series and community reinforcement activities amongst others to facilitate community adoption of safer behaviors, will receive P9, 019.715 to produce a television drama series which will be aired on Botswana Television.
The series will be used to complement other communication strategies to educate the population on the causes and prevention of transmission of HIV. Additionally, the series will contribute to creating demand and promote the utilization of health care services for HIV prevention and management of the epidemic.
On the other hand, the Tertiary Education Council, (TEC) will receive P17, 366.790.00, to improve access to HIV prevention information and services among tertiary education students throughout the country. Recent research has revealed that students in Botswana continue to engage in behaviors that put them at risk of HIV transmission despite all existing programs, hence the intervention.
While Makgabaneng is one of the 57 approved Civil Society Organizations funded through the BNAPS project during the third Call for Proposals, (CFP3), the Tertiary Education Council will be covered under the public sector ministries component of the project.
The 57 Civil Society Organization are being funded for P42, 3-million to carry out HIV prevention initiatives focusing on anti-multiple concurrent sexual partnerships, encouraging consistent condom use, abstinence and safe male circumcision. Through these agreements, NACA is prioritizing HIV prevention activities to address the key drivers of the epidemic as well as addressing long-term sustainability of HIV and AIDS interventions, in line with the priorities of the Second National Strategic Framework (NSF II) for HIV and AIDS, Vision 2016 and NDP 10.
BACKGROUND
In 2008, the Government of Botswana signed a 5- year loan agreement with the World Bank to implement the Botswana National HIV and AIDS Prevention Support Program (BNAPS). The objective of the project is to assist the government of Botswana to increase access to prioritized prevention services that reduce the risk of HIV transmission. The 5-year project has a budget of US$50 million that is being invested in: (1) strengthening the institutional capacity of NACA, (2) funding HIV/AIDS prevention activities at ministerial level and (3) funding HIV/AIDS prevention activities at Civil Society Organization/Private Sector Organization level through a “call for proposal” system.
During the First Call for Proposal, (2009-2010 17) Civil Society Organizations received P11.7-million to carry out HIV prevention initiatives in the five health districts of Francistown, Selibe Phikwe, Kweneng East, South East and Goodhope.
During the (2010-2011) Second Call for Proposal, 26 Civil Society Organizations received P27.5-million Pula to cover the same districts.
The third call, (2012-2013) has been expanded to four more health districts namely Kweneng West, Serowe, Palapye and Bobonong making it a total of nine districts.