Anchoring Awareness in the Community - Handicap International

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animators and inhabitants of the region would feel concerned by the information delivered, a number of case studies were invented to illustrate the manual, using local place names and Somali first names that are common in the region concerned. A NEW METHOD Become a daily presence By doing this house-to-house work in an everyday environment, with animators present three times a week for three years, not only did the awareness program become accepted, it even came to be considered as a normal activity in the community. Promote private discussion In contrast to the methods of mass awareness programs, this house-to-house work enables meeting with people in their homes, in a context where they are at ease and surrounded by close relatives in front of whom they can talk freely and ask the questions they want to ask. “When people are at home, they speak more openly and dare to ask questions; they dare to confide in the animatoranimator. They have nothing to hide.” 4 Provide complete information We decided to provide in-depth information that was as complete as possible on the topics chosen to persons who were being made aware. Raising awareness in a home was done in various sessions in order to cover the nine chapters on the disease (the bases of HIV/AIDS, ways of transmission, how the virus cannot be transmitted, ways of prevention, etc.). Bringing complete information on the disease enabled people to feel truly informed and to have enough knowledge to choose their prevention method by themselves, request testing, etc. SUCCESS STORY: THE COMMUNITY DEMANDED ANIMATORS WHEN THEY WERE ABSENT! When Handicap International changed its partner association in the Somali region, animators were inactive for a period of three months. At Ayesha, a small village near Dire Dawa, the animators were scolded by everyone: “Well, where have you been? Why aren’t you working any more? You must continue to act for the community!” The community obviously missed them and had become accustomed to their presence! Adapt session rhythm Depending on the area, house-to-house awareness strategies differed according to cultural habits. For example, at Dire Dawa the animators went nine times to each house but stayed no longer than 20 minutes. Otherwise, people became bored. In contrast, in the Afar region animators went no more than three times to each home, often remaining for more than an hour. In part of this region, it is difficult to set up appointments because the people are very mobile (nomad culture, need to travel some distance to obtain water, etc.). In addition, Afar residents are very culturally attuned to receiving information; they can remain for hours listening to a animator who 4. Legesse Mulisa, member of the Dire Dawa Project Advisory Committee with the status of village elder. 16
has come as a “dagou” (meaning “bearer of information” in the Afar language). This is the opposite of Dire Dawa residents, who tire easily if a conversation takes too long. Measure what is acceptable In Somaliland, the house-to-house awareness program was supported by community elders, who accepted HIV/AIDS to be spoken about because they knew it was a problem for the community. They strongly supported awareness, on the condition that there would be no promotion of condom use. Contrary to what was done in Ethiopia, there was no mention or promotion of condoms in Somaliland, since this was not considered as socially acceptable. APPROPRIATE MESSENGERS Once the outlines of the awareness effort were well defined, it was necessary to choose the most pertinent animators for this task. At all intervention sites, they were selected as nearly as possible from within the community itself. However, their profile could vary according to the context. For example, in Ethiopia, animators were all HIV + and often older than forty. But in Somaliland the disease remains highly stigmatized and very few persons reveal their status; it was thus difficult to find HIV + animators. In consequence, leaders were chosen from young people in the community. In all countries and regions, animators carried out their activity part-time for a few days a week and received a salary. At all sites, it was decided to encourage an almost daily presence of the animators. Thus, in Somaliland new animators were recruited from within the community after the program had started to strengthen the existing team, who were too few to ensure daily awareness initiatives simultaneously at all sites. Using pioneers for an innovative approach In Ethiopia, animators were often among the first in their community to declare their HIV status and take responsibility for their status. For the innovative house-to-house approach, we could thus count on these brave people, who were pioneers in declaring their HIV status. In Somaliland, where the PLWHIV do not reveal their status, young people were chosen because they accepted to talk about AIDS, which was still taboo for their elders. Facilitate acceptance by the community The fact that the animators were themselves members of the community where they worked greatly facilitated their acceptance by families for carrying out the awareness program, since they came “as neighbors”. In Somaliland, for example, the community had a benevolent view of this project, which allowed some of the younger members to work. It was thus well received, whereas the community would probably have refused to listen to strangers speaking on the subject of HIV. Use the expertise of the sick as a base In Ethiopia, persons living with HIV were the ones who educated the community. Being HIV + made it legitimate for them to speak about the disease, its consequences and the ways it is treated, since they live with it every day. Animators were thus living witnesses and for this reason were listened to very attentively. Their experience was a convincing 17
Page 1 and 2: LESSONS FROM EXPERIENCE: KNOW-HOW A
Page 3 and 4: Contents Introduction 04 P a r t 1
Page 5 and 6: Context and Methodology Part 1 This
Page 7 and 8: 2. An ambitious project Part 1 Alth
Page 9 and 10: homes and implying community leader
Page 11 and 12: A VARIETY OF LEARNING-FROM-EXPERIEN
Page 13 and 14: Implementing Know-How Part 2 1. Dar
Page 15: ADAPTED AWARENESS METHOD The choice
Page 19 and 20: COMMUNITY LEADERS AS FACILITATORS T
Page 21 and 22: people to receive the animators by
Page 23 and 24: Through house-to-house awareness de
Page 25 and 26: ANIMATORS AND AWARENESS DEVELOPMENT
Page 27 and 28: INVALUABLE DOUBLE SUPPORT FOR ANIMA
Page 29 and 30: STRENGTHENING PARTNER ASSOCIATIONS
Page 31 and 32: 3. Creating an awareness environmen
Page 33 and 34: of 40 radio programs broadcast over
Page 35 and 36: HIV/AIDS in Somali, which were well
Page 37 and 38: FESTIVE EVENTS TO CONVEY THE MESSAG
Page 39 and 40: 4. Carrying out more precisely targ
Page 41 and 42: SUCCESS STORY: BAR OWNERS ACT AS RE
Page 43 and 44: To learn more… In this document,
Page 45: Handicap International 14 avenue Be

Anchoring Awareness in the Community - Handicap International

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