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FHI Successfully Implements USAID-Funded Activities in Jordan

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DECEMBER 2007 — Since June 2000, USAID has funded FHI to initiate and substantiate HIV/AIDS prevention activities in Jordan, which is a low-prevalence country. FHI/Jordan’s prevention strategy includes increasing awareness and knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), improving access to and quality of HIV/AIDS prevention and care services (including patient referral and monitoring services), and increasing stakeholder involvement—namely national policymakers—in HIV/AIDS planning efforts.

From October 2006 through September 2007, FHI provided technical assistance and training in the areas of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), strategic behavioral communication (SBC), STIs, strategic planning, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for representatives of the government of Jordan, local NGOs, community-based organizations, and universities.

FHI also worked on peer education initiatives that reach an increasing number of high-risk groups, and strengthened and expanded outreach activities to include university students and hard-to-reach youth.

Milestone accomplishments include building the capacities of four local NGOs to implement and monitor SBC programs for youth and most-at-risk populations and the opening of the Safety First Centre, a center for vulnerable youth that emphasizes service provision for HIV/AIDS, edutainment, and sexual health counseling and referrals.

In this period, FHI also

  • supported the government of Jordan in establishing and strengthening a national M&E system as well as a second-generation surveillance system
  • implemented workplace interventions that raised awareness and stimulated dialogue with senior management in key private-sector business.
  • promoted increased engagement of the private sector in the country’s HIV response by bringing leaders from the private sector and labor unions together with leaders from local NGOs and the National AIDS Program
  • produced and distributed a variety of guidelines, training manuals, standard operating procedures, toolkits, and other resources to various targeted groups, including service providers, youth, peer educators, and program managers

FHI/Jordan received a no-cost extension from USAID for October through December, 2007. During that time, the office

  • launched the Safety First website for vulnerable youth and created brochures and condom covers for the Safety First project
  • produced a peer education manual for vulnerable youth and a training manual titled "Theatre-based Techniques for Youth Peer Education"
  • held meetings with the Ministry of Health on coordinating different joint activities and meetings with youth peer educators, implementing agencies, and local partners to prepare for World AIDS Day
  • conducted a VCT site assessment and launched a VCT toolkit through a four-day workshop, with support from the Ministry of Health and USAID.

The VCT toolkit was translated to Arabic, revised by FHI Jordan and the Ministry of Health, printed, and distributed.