With the goal of improving access to quality HIV
prevention services, including voluntary counseling and testing, the HIV/AIDS Twinning Center has established this south-south partnership linking Tebelopele VCT with Kenya-based
Liverpool VCT.
The overall goal of this partnership is to strengthen the capacity of Tebelopele to provide
quality counseling and testing programs in Botswana.
Specifically, partners are working to:
- Improve organizational capacity as a means of
making HIV counseling, testing, prevention, care, and support services more readily available to
children and adults;
- Strengthen organizational capacity and quality of service by developing and implementing a quality assurance program;
- Develop a comprehensive Supportive Counseling Program; and
- Share experiences of Liverpool VCT
regarding implementation of an organizational
capacity building program for community-based organizations.
This partnership is working closely with a second, very similar VCT partnersip that links Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Program (BOCAIP) with the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) in South Africa.
Liverpool VCT has trained and mentored Tebelopele and BOCAIP in the establishment of post-test clubs.
The support has focused on developing post-test
protocols and procedures, including a proper exit
strategy for clients and improved linkages to existing support services.
Partners have also developed informational materials
for clients; established a comprehensive supportive
counseling program; and implemented quality assurance measures by strengthening counselor supervision and monitoring and evaluation programs. This has
included a training-of-trainers workshop for three
Botswana partners and counselor supervision training
for staff from Tebelopele, BOCAIP, and the Botswana Defense Force.
Upcoming activities include trainings on child and youth counseling, continued support and training on the
supportive counseling program, and training on
programming for sex workers and hearing impaired
individuals.
Updated November 14, 2011
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