The Chief of Party of the Sauti Project a Jhpiego’s lead program Dr. Albert Komba elaborating a point to the USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas when he visited projects interventions conducted to reduce HIV/Aids prevalence to the vulnerable groups in Iringa. The program is conducting Behavior Change Communication Sessions, Screening for Gender Based Violence and cancelling on usage of Alcohol and Drugs to the Vulnerable groups including young girls.
Scholina Charles (22) a young girl from umoja groups in iringa giving her testimony to the USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas and his delegation on the risk she went through before joining the Sauti project to fight HIV/ AIDS. Looking center is the Sauti Project Chief of Party Dr. Albert Komba .
The USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas, Deputy Mission Director Helen Pataki (second right), Jhpiego Country Director (right) and Sauti Project Chief of Party Dr. Albert Komba (left) following a Behavior Change Communication Sessions conducted by Zera Mingo (23) to the young adolescences girls as part of HIV/ AIDS intervention to reduce HIV/Aids prevalence to the vulnerable groups in Iringa.
The USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas and his Deputy Mission Director Helen Pataki looks at the clothes made by Mwanahamisi Mketo (23) during his field visit in Iringa to assess the implementation of USAID funded Project activities. Mwanahamisi Mketo she is a member of Behavior Change Communication group conducted by Jhpiego at kihesa ward in Iringa who are also economically empowered.
The United State Agency for International Development (USAID) funded projects in iringa has demostrated how their bringing impacts to the lives of the people in Iringa. This expression was made by USAID funded NGO’s and local CSO’s to the newly USAID Mission Director in Tanzanian Andy Karas who conducted a field visit in Iringa to assess the implementation of USAID funded Project activities.
Andy who was accompanied by his deputy Mission Director Helen Pataki and other USAID staff expressed his appreciation to the regional administration and local authorities for the support their giving to all implementing partners funded by USAID in the region and thanks them for their work their doing for the people of Iringa.
Explaining on how they engage the local authorities and the entire community to fight the spread of the HIV/AIDS in Iringa, the Chief of Party with Sauti Project a Jhpiego’s lead program Dr. Albert Komba said despite the fact that the project works in 14 region countrywide, in Iringa Municipal they targets all Vulnerable groups including young girls by linking them into services like Behavior Change Communication Sessions, Economic Empowerment groups, Screening for Gender Based Violence and cancelling on usage of Alcohol and Drugs.
“we are working to ensure we reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS because the groups we are targeting like these adolescence girls and female sex workers are more vulnerable and engaging them in the fight against HIV will lead to an HIV/AIDS free generation in Iringa” said Dr. Komba
As part of their interventions to reduce HIV/Aids prevalence, the project also has mobilized girls to form WORTH+ groups which is the voluntary money saving groups for income generating activities, and train them on economic empowerment, gender issues and how to protect themselves against high risk behaviors of which most girls from these groups have managed to change their lives by living a decent life.
Reaching a testimonie delivered by Scholina Charles (22) a young girls from umoja groups on the risk she went through before joining the sauti project, she said the situation was devastating and because of her economic status from her family she got engaged into sex business as part of income generating.
“The situation was bad, I remember men used to bribe me even for two hundred shilling to have sex with them and I had no option. But now that I have joined this group, I am empowered with self-awareness on the risk of HIV/AIDS, gender violence, and through this group I have also managed to raise money and now I am engaging into agricultural activities and employ men in my maize farm”. Said Scholina.
Earlier speaking with USAID delegation and other USAID funded implementing partners, the Iringa Regional Administration Secretary Wamoja Ayubu thanks the delegation for the support they are giving to the region level by complimenting government effort in the health sector agriculture sector and other sectors especially by emphasizing the inclusion and empowerment of youth and woman.
“The government has policy and laws which advocates for the inclusion of gender especially youth and woman in all activities, I am happy that USAID is also advocating that and we promise to collaborate with all partners to empower them especially locals so that they bring up new ideas for development and at the regional level. In our side we will chip in to address all challenges that might be faced by our implementing partners” she insisted.
Sauti is implemented by Jhpiego in partnership with Pact, Engenderhealth and NIMR/ Mwanza with support from the American people through USAID under the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and DREAMS Initiatives.
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