In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), FHI 360 collaborates with the Ministry of Health to strengthen health care delivery systems, improve measures to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted infections and increase positive health behaviors through evidence-based behavior change communication. FHI 360 supports the DRC’s Ministry of Health in the following areas: gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, family planning and reproductive health, maternal and child health, nutrition, water and sanitation, and strategic information. Our programs target people who are at risk of acquiring HIV or other life-threatening illnesses and provide training for health care workers on issues such as preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We also assist in the development of communication strategies for social and behavior change at both the national and provincial levels; integrate nutrition approaches into care packages for people living with HIV; and introduce appropriate technology to improve data collection. In addition, FHI 360 bolsters the DRC’s ability to use strategic information systems, thereby supporting its capacity to plan, monitor and evaluate evidence-based interventions.
FHI 360 carries out interventions in six provinces, including the capital city of Kinshasa, Katanga, South Kivu, Kasai Oriental, Kasai Occidental and Orientale Provinces. FHI 360 provides capacity building assistance to the government and local Congolese organizations in order to not only improve health service delivery, but also to address major human development challenges. For example, FHI 360’s Communication for Change (C-Change) project developed a comprehensive approach for promoting positive social and gender attitudes to prevent and mitigate school-related, gender-based violence among students at primary and secondary schools in Katanga Province. By focusing this initiative on the school environment in Katanga, the aim is to break this cycle and lessen the level of violence in the target schools as well as in communities at large.