Capacity building: what role can it play in challenging stigma, discrimination and prejudice associated with HIV&AIDS in Kasese western Uganda?

1. Role of Capacity Building in
addressing; stigma,
discrimination and prejudice
associated with HIV&AIDS in
Kasese District -Western
Uganda
The Second HIV Capacity Building Partner’s Summit,
Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg - S. Africa
by
Sarah Naiga Noah
Co-author: Hizaamu Ramadhan,
Harnessing Indigenous Potentials in Africa (HIPo-Africa)

2. Presentation outline
1. About HIPo-Africa.
2. Project background and description
3. Project context
4. Key interventions
5. Methodologies and strategies
6. Resources required
7. Challenges
8. Evidence of success and achievements
9. Why is a best practice
10. What others partners will gain from the
model
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3. About HIPo-Africa
Harnessing Indigenous Potentials – Africa:
• Registered National NGO, specialized in Capacity
development, with emphasis on Indigenous
Knowledge Systems (IKS) and Community Systems
strengthening in Social development interventions.
Mission:
Vision: To sustainably build capacity of
A transformed society service providers and community
with improved quality beneficiaries towards social
of life development through application of
IKS
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4. Project Background and Description
 Title: Role of Capacity Building in
addressing; stigma, discrimination and
prejudice associated with HIV&AIDS in
Kasese Western Uganda
 Target: stigmatized women and sex
workers
 Aim:
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5. Description of the Project context
 Over the years a lot of effort has been done
to eliminate stigma and discrimination of
people living with HIV&AIDS.
 Reports still show high levels of infection
and progress is proved uneven. This is
partly attributed to stigma, discrimination
and prejudice for people living with
HIV&AIDS.
 The Uganda National strategic plan 2007
cites stigma as a key driver and barrier to
accessing HIV services. 5

6. Key Project interventions
 Capacity building of community leaders,
 Counseling
 Adherence monitoring
 Anti stigma campaigns
 Moonlight HCT targeting sex workers,
their clients and women
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7. Methodologies and strategies
 Community action research
 Strategic partnerships (With
NACWOLA Kasese) to strengthening
the relationships with the local partners
other stakeholders
 Capacity building for leaders,
community based implementers and
health workers and MARPS.
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8. Resources required
 Finances
 Human resources
 Training Materials
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9. Challenges
High HIV infection rate among women in
Kasese with limited access to HIV&AIDS
prevention care and support services, due to
constant stigma and discrimination resulting
into high mortality rates.
The cost of sex is cheaper than the cost of
condoms hence making prevention efforts
challenging
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10. Evidence of success and achievements
 At least 23% MARPs in the project area (Kasese
Municipality) have knowledge about HIV&AIDS stigma
and discrimination
 Up to 19% of women and 28% of men (MARPs) have
positive attitudes towards stigma.
 HCT among MARPs increased by 25% from baseline
over six months
 21 of the female sex workers have abandoned the
practice and are engaged in hotel business
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11. Conclusions and why is a best
practice
 This intervention contributed towards the
increase of access to service by MARPS
 MARPS were used to reach out to their
peers making the action sustainable and
acceptable
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12. What others will gain from the model
Peer sex workers are better placed to influence
their peers in HIV prevention
Capacity building provides increased human
potential to effect the desired changes and also
strengthens the ability to have a positive
impact on people’s lives
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13. “Let’s invest in the future; that is where
we will live for the rest of our lives”
Thank You
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