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

IMAGE (INTERVENTION WITH MICROFINANCE FOR AIDS AND GENDER
EQUITY)
LEAD ORGANIZATIONS:
COUNTRY:
HIV PROGRAM AREA:
Rural AIDS and Development Action Research
Program (RADAR)
School of Public Health, University of the
Witswatersrand
The Small Enterprise Foundation (SEF)
South Africa
Prevention
OVERVIEW:
IMAGE is a community-based intervention in South Africa that combines a microfinance program with
a gender and HIV curriculum. IMAGE aims to reduce HIV vulnerability and gender-based violence
among women and promote women’s empowerment, improve family well-being, and raise awareness
about HIV. After two years, evaluation results show a significant decrease in intimate partner violence
for participating women and a significant decrease in risky sexual behavior among younger
participants. The project shows the value of an integrated approach, where addressing poverty
(through microfinance), gender issues, and HIV yield broader health and social benefits than
addressing any of these issues in isolation. Other key factors in project success were the
establishment of multisectoral partnerships; outreach to the community (including men and youth)
beyond program participants; and strong partners and sustained mentorship.
BACKGROUND
HIV & AIDS
Program Goals
IMAGE (Intervention with Microfinance for AIDS and Gender Equity) aims
to empower women, improve household economic well-being, increase
women’s social capital, reduce intimate partner violence and HIV
vulnerability among women, and raise awareness of these issues among
the broader community.
Gender Strategies
Addressed
Reducing violence and coercion
Addressing male norms and behaviors
Increasing women’s legal protection
Increasing women’s access to income and productive resources
Other:
Description of
Intervention
IMAGE is a community-based structural intervention that combines a
microfinance program with a participatory gender and HIV curriculum.
Microfinance component: In increasing women’s access to income, and
based on the Grameen Bank model, groups of five economically vulnerable
women ages 18 and older guarantee each other’s loans. All five must repay
their loans before the group qualifies for more credit. Loan centers of
approximately 40 women meet every two weeks to repay loans, apply for
additional credit and discuss business plans. SEF, a South African nongovernmental
organization (NGO), implements this component of the
program.
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