More Phikwe CSOs access BNAPS funding

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Tuesday August 21, 2012 00:00

SELEBI-PHIKWE: While Selebi-Phikwe district appreciates that more than six of the HIV/AIDS local support groups received funding for Botswana National HIV/AIDS Prevention and Support (BNAPS) project, there are fears that more emphasis would be put on the project while the district's plan suffers.It was the first time so many support groups were funded as only two were successful during the last call for proposals.  Those who were unsuccessful were able to implement the district plan. The support groups were asked to submit their proposals on how they will address thematic areas of multiple concurrent partnerships and male circumcision among others. This was the third call for proposals and the support groups were expected to set themselves targets to implement the thematic areas.

Good Samaritan have been allocated P900,000, Phikwe Theatre was given P550,000. Men Sex and Aids was given P450,000, Children, Women and HIV was allocated P450,000 while Lesea Bokamoso and Branch Minister were allocated P50,000 each. Silence Kills Support Group was also awarded P600,000. The money was allocated the support groups at different times all in the first quarter of this year.The groups are expected to carry out their project within 18 months; at the end of each quarter, the support groups are expected to submit a report to which they will be assessed to see if there is need for the release of more funds.

For the district the support groups have, after identifying all areas of concern, decided to address issues of low testing, intensify education efforts on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), data management and information dissemination for capacity building. Some of the activities that the support groups implemented in the last quarter include; behavioural change communication launch, peer educators training, identification and registration of orphans and vulnerable children who were handed over to the Department of Social and Community Development, referrals as well as focus group discussions on multiple concurrent partnerships.

The support groups also implemented the journey of life for secondary schools which  is a forum where orphans and vulnerable children in schools discuss their problems and come up with solutions.Though appreciating the new development by the support groups, the District AIDS Coordinator Lameck Myengwa feared that many of the funded support groups are the most active ones in the district hence they may find themselves putting more effort in the BNAPS project while the district plan is left to suffer: 'I hope they will be able to implement both projects simultaneously,' he said.He further said implementation of the district plan is already facing challenges of late arrival of funding which delays implementation.

This year's funding arrived in June, which is the last month of the first quarter. 'The BNAPS project is very strict on the timeline and meeting of targets. This may find support groups having to focus on it more than the district plan. I hope they will manage,'Though acknowledging that challenges are likely to arise, Selebi Phikwe district really deserved the BNAPS funding in our district given the prevalence rate here. We need to launch a serious fight against multiple and concurrent partnerships and dedicate more efforts on sensitisation on condom use,' he said.He added that their target is to have a decline on incidence rates and then they would know that their efforts are paying off.  'If we cannot have the incidence rate dropped then the fund would not have yielded the anticipated results,' Myengwa said. He added that BIAS IV is due this year and it will enable the district to measure its success in their HIV/AIDS interventions.