Leadership, Management and Governance Project Project Year Five Quarter Two Report

In Southern Africa, the project is implemented by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) based on its ability to consistently demonstrate a high return on investment in areas such as improved management, leadership, and governance; produce tangible results and health impact; and apply its pool of staff with expertise to respond to the USAID/Regional HIV and AIDS Program (RHAP) goal to strengthen the overall sustainability, quality, and reach of HIV and AIDS interventions. The project builds on the Building Local Capacity for the Delivery of HIV Services in Southern Africa (BLC) project, which operated from 2010 until December 2015. In August 2015, USAID/RHAP requested that MSH BLC plan for the continuation of the programs under MSH's Leadership, Management and Governance Project (Cooperative Agreement Number AID-OAA-A-11-00015) for the period December 6, 2015-June 30, 2016. This report includes updates on activities for the period January 1-March 31, 2016 and lists future planned activities. The DREAMS initiative in Zimbabwe aims to reduce new HIV infections among adolescents and young women, 15-24 years, by 25% in 6 districts of Zimbabwe (Bulawayo, Chipinge, Mutare, Gweru, Makoni, and Mazowe) by the end of 2017. As part of this plan, the USAID mission identified a local partner organization, Africaid, with experience in strengthening adolescent-friendly services in Zimbabwe as part of their Zvandiri program. Africaid works closely with the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare, and has established a successful model, Zvandiri, using 18-24 year-old HIV positive young people as Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters (CATS). The CATS work closely with health facilities to understand and respond to young people's needs. The Zimbabwean government has engaged Africaid actively in policy, strategy, and guideline development regarding the HIV response for young people, including HIV testing and counselling (HTC), care and treatment, SRHR, VMMC, and PMTCT. They also support the Ministries in child protection and care, and in training staff. Zvandiri contributes to demystifying HIV and AIDS, reducing stigma, and modelling successful strategies for coping with HIV infection. The Mission expects Africaid to work closely with the other implementing partners involved with the DREAMS initiative, to support the layering of interventions so that AGYW receive a comprehensive package of services. Other implementing partners in Zimbabwe include World Education, Family AIDS Care Trust, Population Services International, SAfAIDS, Population Services Zimbabwe, and UNICEF. The purpose of the partnership between Africaid and Management Sciences for Health is two-pronged: the first is to reduce the vulnerability of AGYW to HIV through the Zvandiri activities, and the second is to strengthen Africaid's capacity to deliver their adolescent friendly services in a manner that aligns with USAID policy and procedures, and permits USAID to grant directly to Africaid to continue these activities in the future. In Quarter Two (January-March 2016), key milestones included supporting Africaid's scale up and continuing professional development. Africaid coordinated a District work plan with DREAMS initiative partners, and challenges, solutions, and lessons learned were identified. Important findings included the need for continued support to Africaid in scaling up their adolescent-friendly services, and the importance of strengthening Africaid's capacity to deliver these services in a manner that aligns with USAID policy and procedures. The way forward for the DREAMS initiative in Zimbabwe includes continued support to Africaid in scaling up their adolescent-friendly services, and strengthening Africaid's capacity to deliver these services in a manner that aligns with USAID policy and procedures. The partnership between Africaid and Management Sciences for Health will continue to play a critical role in supporting the DREAMS initiative in Zimbabwe, and in reducing the vulnerability of AGYW to HIV.