The USAID/Zambia Open Doors project works toward an AIDS-free society by increasing access to comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment services for those at an increased risk for HIV in target provinces. FHI 360 is implementing this five-year project in partnership with the Zambia Health Education and Communications Trust (ZHECT), as well as seven community resource partners: Women’s Alliance for Equality (WAFE), Zambian Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (ZANERELA+), Tubombelepamo community support organization, Titandizeni Umoyo, Vulnerable Populations Alliance of Zambia (KPAZ), The Lotus Identity (TLI) and Dignitate Zambia Limited (DZL). The project is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
This project builds on USAID’s previous efforts in the Corridors of Hope project, which focused on female sex workers and their clients. USAID/Zambia Open Doors extends its reach to additional those at an increased risk for HIV concentrating on five provinces where HIV is highly prevalent: Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka, North-Western and Southern.
The project’s objectives are:
- To identify and address the main determinants of risky behavior among those at an increased risk for HIV in the target districts
- To increase the availability of high-impact HIV services and other health services for those at an increased risk for HIV in the target districts
- To strengthen the capacity of local stakeholders to plan, monitor, evaluate and assure the quality of interventions for those at an increased risk for HIV
Key activities include:
- Supporting wellness centers in eight districts to offer a minimum package of services, including but not limited to: HIV services along the cascade of care, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, family planning services, economic strengthening activities, referrals to support groups, alcohol and drug use counseling, and mental health services
- Offering peer-based community mobilization and social behavior change communication, including access to condoms and water-based lubricants
- Implementing innovative peer-led outreach strategies, such as the enhanced peer outreach approach and the social network strategy, for hard-to-reach key population members
- Introducing an online application called QuickRes to reach and refer members of those at an increased risk for HIV to HIV and other health services
- Strengthening the capacity of health care providers in eight districts to provide public health services to those at an increased risk for HIV without discrimination
- Engaging, building capacity and implementing project activities with eight community-based organizations, six of which are led by members of those at an increased risk for HIV
- Implementing the DHIS2 tool for effective and efficient management of data
