Ana Patsogolo (APA), a five-year activity to prevent new HIV infections and reduce vulnerability among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), OVC caregivers and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Malawi

Ana Patsogolo (APA) is a five-year activity to prevent new HIV infections and reduce vulnerability among orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), OVC caregivers and adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Malawi. The objective supports Government of Malawi (GOM) multi-sector strategies and priorities for HIV mitigation and prevention, with an emphasis on minimizing negative impacts of HIV on OVC and AGYW, addressing social, behavioral and structural drivers of HIV, and improving access to comprehensive sexual reproductive health (SRH) services to prevent new infections. PEPFAR Malawi’s AGYW activities are implemented through the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) initiative. This activity will contribute to the shared priority of the GOM and the United States Government (USG) to significantly reduce the number of new HIV infections in Malawi by 2020 and beyond. The APA activity will contribute to Development Objective 1 (Social Development Improved) of the Malawi Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS). With this cooperative agreement, USAID/Malawi intends to contribute to Malawi’s commitments towards the realization of zero new infections; zero AIDS related deaths and zero discrimination especially as they relate to the activity’s target groups. The program will contribute to the achievement of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and UNAIDS 90-90-90 goals by strengthening community platforms to engage with, and support the devolution and scale up of, clinical services at the local level. The Ana Patsogolo (APA) activity will be implemented in the PEPFAR high burden districts with PLHIV and will coordinate closely in these areas with existing services funded by the GOM, PEPFAR and other development partners. The aim of this activity is to prevent new HIV infections and continue care for OVC and their caregivers and AGYW currently supported under the One Community mechanism (i.e. those who will not graduate-OVC and complete-DREAMS from One Community services by September 30, 2020) and expand the reach of OVC activities to additional health facility catchment areas in the selected districts and coordinate with other DREAMS and facility partners to ensure all components of the DREAMS package are available to AGYW. DREAMS is implemented in three districts (Blantyre, Zomba, and Machinga) by several implementing partners, each with a unique area of expertise. DREAMS utilize a layered approach to service delivery that seeks to address multiple, interconnected factors that place AGYW at high risk of HIV acquisition. It is important to note that risk and vulnerability is fluid and regular monitoring and re-assessment is required to ensure each AGYW is getting the right services at the right time and at the right place. DREAMS have an existing DREAMS toolkit for social asset building that is delivered in Go Girls Clubs. The partner will use this toolkit for social asset building.