Implementing Multiple Gender Strategies to Improve HIV and ... - ICRW

• Annual reviews: An annual review was conducted in 2007 for 2006
program activities and in March 2008 to examine 2007 program
activities. Two external consultants conducted the 2008 review, which
included: 1) reviewing key project and other relevant documents; 2)
analyzing data from various available surveys; 3) interviewing senior
management, staff and strategic partners; 4) visiting programs,
interviewing implementing partner staff and other informants; and 5)
holding discussions with the advisory committee and executive board
members. Data reviewed included social and economic data and
studies, clinic reports and records, national survey data and beneficiary
surveys.
Evaluation Results • Project reach: Monitoring data indicates that the project serves 655
HIV-positive women and their families. In total, PoH reaches more than
2,508 individuals. An estimated 10,000 dependents are expected to
benefit indirectly from health care and family support services.
Monitoring data also shows that women’s health status has improved;
families are better off due to the availability of a range of health and
social services; and those receiving ART have increased CD4 counts.
• Community monitoring: Community monitoring through user groups
show that, at first, there was a misunderstanding of the project by the
community; in particular, community women thought that the project
had come to provide monetary and nutritional supplements. Over time,
community monitoring demonstrated that community approval of the
PoH CTP had increased as the value of services provided was
recognized.
• Annual reviews: The 2008 annual review of PoH CTP found the
following results:
- The project is counseling and testing a large proportion of women
genocide survivors, who can now be offered prophylaxis and
treatment for opportunistic infections arising from HIV, and ART as
appropriate.
- By the second year of the project, a total of 1,114 people were
enrolled in the ART program. Of these, 573 were women and
children, representing 73 percent of the target goal.
- All clinics have a community-based program and 22 incomegenerating
activities have been started.
- Beneficiaries are using government services—for example, 541
beneficiaries are receiving ART from government services. These
beneficiaries continue to receive psychosocial aspects of their care
from PoH CTP.
- There were 496 beneficiaries receiving educational support
(materials and/or payment of tuition and fees) by the end of 2007.
Replication and
Scale-up Activities
To date the program has been replicated in three areas in Rwanda
(Bugesera, Huye, and Gasabo Districts). The RWN Village of Hope
program replication in Kigali, Gasabo District, won the 2007 UN-Habitat
Dubai International Award in “recognition of best practices to improve the
living environment” for child-headed households and genocide widows and
their families.
RWN is engaged in efforts to take the Polyclinic of Hope to other countries,
especially countries that have undergone recent war and conflict. An
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