The project will seek to increase access on awareness of HIV and AIDS, and drug and alcohol abuse among young people in total, working in the streets including street youths, market vendors, bicycle taxi operators, and communities.
To establish youth clubs in the three market sites and rehabilitation and train peer educators among street youth working as vendors, bicycle taxi operators on HIV and AIDS and Drug and alcohol abuse through the IEC materials also to train street youths, market vendors bicycle taxi operators as trainer of trainers (TOT) on HIV and AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention are the main activities of the project. With this project, many young people are getting educated and sensitized on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse as well as HIV/AIDS prevention. This enables them further to positively change their behaviors.
Project Background
The project will seek to increase access on HIV and AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse awareness to over 10,500 young people in total, working in the streets, including street youths, market vendors, bicycle taxi operators and communities in the city of Zomba in Malawi, for 3 years period. The project will train 30 peer educators on HIV and AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention through IEC materials, the establishment of 5 youth clubs, the establishment of 2 addition youth friendly corners, sporting trophy, for counseling testing and condom distribution, 19,000 condoms shall be distributed, facilitating Tipindule volunteers on HIV and AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse through (IEC) materials, training of 40 trainers of trainers among young street youth, market vendors bicycle taxi drivers on HIV /AIDS, training of 6 Tipindule full-time volunteers on monitoring, evaluation, research and documentation procurement and provide resources to youth friendly centers.
Street youth, market vendors and bicycle/taxi operators in the city of Zomba are still among the vulnerable groups that are at high risk of contracting HIV.
This is due to the nature of the work occupied with and type of environment they are living in. Street youth in the city include minibus call boys, GANYU (loaders), taxi drivers and youth street vendors. With this project brought before them, many young people are getting educated and sensitized on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse as well as HIV/AIDS prevention. This enables them further to positively change their behaviors. This change can be seen and observed through their participation and patronage of our 3 Centres in the city.
Through these patronages and participations, one can introduce that the groups had really been lacking the information and the services on HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention. In view of this, the continuation of the project will, therefore, continue providing awareness and other HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention-related services to the groups.
Project Goal
The goal of the project is to increase access on HIV prevention and drug and substance abuse awareness among high risk young people in the street, markets and communities in the city of Zomba.
Project Activities
The objectives of the project are as follows in three year’s period;
- To facilitate Tipindule Youth Volunteers on HIV and AIDS /Drug and alcohol abuse through (IEC) materials.
- To manage already established 3 youth friendly corners, for counseling on HIV/AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention information and condom distribution.
- To introduce (IEC) materials on HIV/AIDS, Drug and alcohol abuse prevention
- To establish youth clubs in the three market sites and rehabilitation
- To distribute condoms to young people at risk including market vendors, street youth and bicycle taxi operators
- To train peer educators among street youth working as vendors, bicycle taxi operators on HIV and AIDS and Drug and alcohol abuse through the IEC materials
- Training of peer educators among street youth market vendors and bicycle taxi operators on HIV/ AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention
- To set up sporting trophy to young people including market vendors, street youth and bicycle taxi operators
- To procure and provide resources in youth friendly center on HIV and AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention
- To train street youths, market vendors bicycle taxi operators as trainer of trainers (TOT) on HIV and AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse prevention
Intended Beneficiaries
The primary beneficiaries are street youth working as call boys for minibuses market vendors, bicycle taxi operators and those engaged on small piece works (ganyu). The groups are best known for their undesired behaviors of sexual immoralities, drugs and alcohol abuse. Predominantly, these groups are male. They often abuse drugs which make them more vulnerable to HIV infection. Due to their economic status, access to information on HIV prevention and testing had been limited before the project started being implemented.
Sustainability
Sustainability of the activities is depended on the trained Tipindule Youth Volunteers, and peer educators amongst the street youth, youth working as market vendors and bicycle/ taxi operators and the IEC materials that will be produced. However, Tipindule will be working on developing proposals to other donors like UNICEF, WHO and UNFPA in search for more resources.
Evaluation
The project evaluation will depend on the various components of the project annual activities as shown below:
