CHAMPION Unveils its Intervention Achievements in Dodoma and Unguja

Dodoma, Thursday, 11^th April, 2013. Today, as the country celebrates the official inauguration of three Millennium Challenge Account (MCA-T) development schemes in the country, CHAMPION Project proudly unveils its intervention achievements during construction of infrastructures in Dodoma and Unguja.

 CHAMPION Project is supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). During construction of the infrastructures it tackled the negative social issues and helped to mitigate the potential health threats created by construction and infrastructure activities.

 In Dodoma, CHAMPION led the HIV awareness program aimed at increasing HIV prevention in communities surrounding energy infrastructure construction sites in the region.  A total of 1,034 of construction workers attended eight hour HIV induction seminars and HIV awareness and monthly sessions on HIV gender and reproductive health at their workplace.

Other CHAMPION achievements in the period included HIV testing and counseling among workers. So far, about 340 workers accessed voluntary counseling and testing for HIV.  As a prevention strategy, about 32,000 condoms were distributed among workers in Dodoma.

 CHAMPION project also engaged communities by building the capacity of 25 community based peer educators to support the project.  Nearly 1201 community members accessed mobile Voluntary Counseling and Testing, with majority attendees being males from various Dodoma districts.  

 John George, CHAMPION’s Senior Program Officer responsible for Work Place Initiatives says,  “ This is part of our critical component in seeking to mobilize workplaces to develop and implement HIV/AIDS policies that promote HIV prevention and health-seeking behaviour, reduce stigma, and sustain gender-equitable behaviours among men to improve family health.”

 CHAMPION provides support and technical assistance to the key actors in the workplace—government, employers and employees to develop a institutional framework and action plan to address gender issues and HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The project has forged strategic partnership with various stakeholders and partners who joined hands to make the objectives a success. These partners include TACAIDS region coordinators, District HIV/AIDS Control Coordinators, Ward Multisectoral Committees, Ward Executive Officers, village leaders, AMREF-ANGAZA Project and other public health organizations.

In Unguja, CHAMPION successfully worked on mitigating potential impacts on risks and vulnerability to HIV that could be created or increased by construction and infrastructure activities around MCC/MCA-T energy project.

CHAMPION is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the U.S. President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

ABOUT CHAMPION

CHAMPION—Channeling Men’s Positive Involvement in the National HIV/AIDS Response, is a five-year project of EngenderHealth/Tanzania, funded by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). The project’s principal partner is FHI360.

CHAMPION seeks to promote a national dialogue about men’s roles and to increase gender equity in order to reduce the vulnerability of men, women, and children to HIV and other adverse reproductive health outcomes.

For more details, please contact:

Muganyizi Mutta

Senior Program Officer – Communications

CHAMPION PROJECT

Office: +255-22-277-4941/2/3

Mobile: +255 788 670 711

Email: mmutta@fhi360.org