The Challenge
Young people are the segment of the population most affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and they remain highly vulnerable to its transmission and resulting impact. Every day, an estimated 7,000 young people between the ages of 15-24 years old become infected with the virus. Globally, it is estimated that 5.4 million young people ages 15 to 24 are living with HIV, 3.2 million of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Young women between the ages of 15 and 24 are more likely than young men to be HIV positive.

Despite the heavy burden of the disease being carried by those living in this region, knowledge about HIV transmission is still low, with women generally less well-informed than men. According to UNAIDS reports, prevention programs currently reach only one in five who need them. Without significantly greater coverage from effective prevention programs, the global fight against HIV/AIDS will be lost. In this context, young people offer the greatest opportunity to defeat the disease. Reaching youth with strategies and interventions that enable them to remain free of HIV infection is critical to winning the fight against the pandemic.

The Initiative
The overall goal of the Empowering Africa’s Young People Initiative (EAYPI) is to scale up evidence-based programs that promote healthy behaviors in order to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among youth, ages 10 to 25. EAYPI is currently operating in Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia with the support of a 5-year USD $8.5 million grant from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), ans aims to reach over 500,000 youth and 200,000 adults in those countries. Efforts are also underway to expand EAYPI to additional countries in sub Saharan Africa.

EAYPI strategic objectives of the project are to:

• Scale up skills-based HIV prevention education using a peer education approach
• Stimulate community discussion on healthy norms and reducing risky behaviors
• Reinforce the role of parents and other influential leaders
• Reduce incidents of sexual coercion and exploitation of young people, especially young girls

Through EAYPI, IYF supports 16 youth-serving organizations to implement the activities and provides technical assistance through on-site mentoring of technical personnel, workshops, seminars, and curricula and technical guidelines.

Expected outcomes
EAYPI strives to increase the:

• Number of youth who have acquired knowledge of primary prevention methods such as abstinence, fidelity, correct and consistent condom use and partner reduction
• Percentage of youth who have reduced risky behaviors to prevent contraction of HIV
• Number of youth who are confident in educating their peers and community members about reproductive health and HIV prevention
• Percentage of parents and influential leaders who have increased their involvement in HIV prevention efforts
• Number of youth, ages 18 to 24, seeking voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services

Results to date
As of November 2008, a total of 22,046 individuals have been trained to provide basic information on HIV/AIDS prevention and reducing risky behaviors related to HIV/AIDS transmission. In addition, the program has reached more than 911,300 unique individuals (youth, parents and leaders in the community) with HIV/AIDS prevention messages.

Other accomplishments include:

• Successful in-school and out-of-school outreach activities using one-to-one communications and through groups such as clubs, sports teams, schools and youth gatherings using music, dance and drama
• The development of HIV/AIDS prevention curricula for peer educators in each of the three countries, including topics on Growth and Development, Relationships, Sex & Sexuality, STIs, HIV/AIDS, Prevention and Risk Reduction, Behavior Change, Peer Education Skills, and Facilitation Skills
• The development and provision of non-financial peer educator incentives such as T-shirts, bags, and binder notebooks for peer education logs and health education support materials such as playing cards and games that reinforce HIV/AIDS prevention learning
• Trained master trainers in parent-to-child communication skills who in turn train others to work with parents — in partnership with Population Services International (PSI)
• Identification and education of influential community leaders on stigma, discrimination and community mitigation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic

Partnerships
Donors: The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), administered through USAID, administered through USAID; Johnson & Johnson.
Implementing Partners: IYF is currently working with 16 local, youth-focused organizations to implement the project.
Implementing organizations include:

TANZANIA: Tanzania Red Cross Society, Tanzania Girl Guides Association, Tanzania Scouts Association, Tanzania Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), the Tanzania Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and kuleana Centre for Children’s Rights
UGANDA: Uganda Red Cross Society, Uganda Girl Guides Association, Uganda Scouts Association, Uganda YWCA and Source of the Nile Award Program
ZAMBIA: Zambia Red Cross Society, Zambia Girl Guides Association, Zambia Scouts Association, Zambia YWCA and the Zambia YMCA

To learn more about IYF's Health Education initiatives click here.