The Biggest Project of My Service

I did it! I pulled it off! I successfully planned, organized and implemented a 5-day Mobile VCT Event in my rural area. Let’s call it the MRVP (Mobile Rural VCT Push) from now on. As I mentioned before VCT stands for Voluntary Counseling and Testing, which is the terminology used here for testing one’s HIV status.

This picture captures the first day, we had a really great turnout, I was so pleased.



Let me give a little background on the MRVP. It all began as an idea I presented at an Annual General Meeting in my rural area before almost all the headman of the catchment. After attaining support of the headmen, who represented over 30 villages, the idea was pursued. A survey was conducted of about 800 people in the area and statistics showed the 90% had never been tested and 86% desired to be tested for HIV but because of obstacles such as lack of transport funds and poverty they had not. This event proposed to help communities overcome those obstacles by bringing VCT to the villages.

I wrote a proposal and received funding from PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) through Peace Corps. The event was to be centered around VCT and supplemented with educational activities, distinguished speakers, and mini-concerts throughout the week. My speakers of the week included His Royal Highness Chief Singani, who is the chief who presides over that particular area,

Chief Singani




the District Commissioner, Stan Simulilike, who runs the larger district the rural area falls in,




the District AIDS Task Force director Clement Moonga,

Clement Moonga

and the Peace Corps HIV/AIDS Project Director Dr. Cynthia Bowa.



Each speaker came one day of the program to do opening remarks. Within their opening remarks they advocated for VCT to the community and discussed how important it is to know your status.

There were two Mobile VCT providers who took part in the week program. CHAMP (Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Management Program) and Kara Counseling.








Also involved was three other organizations who did most of the facilitation on educational activities throughout the week. We camped out at the NAPS training center for 5 nights and each day went to different sites to present. It wouldn’t have been as successful as it was if not for the efforts of NZP+ (Network of Zambian People Living with HIV), YAO (Youth Activist Organization), and Muzoka Transformation Alliance. Also the dedication of the counselors who came every day with renewed energy to help hundreds of people know their HIV status. Here is a snap of most of the team.




From top left to right: Phineas (a driver), George of Health Communications Partnership, Moonde (YAO intern), Lloyd (NZP+), Kara Counseling Nurse, Paul (YAO), Francis (CHAMP), Vincent (Kara Counseling Director), Susan (NZP+), Mrs. Mudenda (CHAMP), Kara Counseling Counselor, Holiness (CHAMP), Mati (YAO), Mr. Banda (Muzoka Transformation Alliance), Me, and Enness (CHAMP). Missing from the picture is Mrs. Nyambe from Muzoka and the third Kara Counselor.

The facilitation team included YAO, NZP+, Muzoka Transformation Alliance and myself, and we all worked so well together. Instead of doing three separation things they coordinated their group efforts and engaged the people in great discussions, condom demonstrations, and much more. They were separated by age group to allow space to discuss sensitive topics more comfortably.

Here’s a picture of one of the youth activities:




A condom demonstration led by Susan and Mr. Banda:


Volunteers had an opportunity to try to put on a condom on the model.



There was a lot of dancing and enjoyment as people came out to see the performances who were included throughout the week.




Even I had an opportunity to do a little dancing with my friend Greg:



A popular band performed. They are the most popular band in Southern Province of Zambia because they sing in the local language, Tonga, and sing about songs people can relate to in rural areas because they are from rural areas themselves. They are also advocates through their music for the fight against HIV. Here’s a snap of “Mashombe Blue Jeans”:


Another performer was a popular Zambian R&B artists, Runell:



We posed together after the concert as well:



Some media of Zambia came to cover the event, it will be aired on television next week by ZNBC, and the newspapers Daily Mail and TIMES, will also be covering the program. Here’s ZNBC doing an interview with one of the school headmasters.:




The most important part were the people who came out for VCT. They lined up in great numbers to go for testing. At the end of the week we had tested about 878 people. That is the greatest success of all.





And everyone who got tested received a red ribbon. The red ribbons were not only to represent AIDS Awareness but also to combat the stigma attached to testing by having people where something that represents their pride in knowing their status and to show others who hadn’t yet gone for testing that it was something that the general public was doing not just people who thought they might have HIV. Youth and adults went for testing, you can see them wearing their ribbons.



The next step is establishing HIV support groups to help those who found themselves positive throughout the week. I am still waiting on statistics from the counselors, but I estimate between 8-10% people tested positive. We want to make sure that they don’t feel hope is lost, which is why we taught about positive living throughout the program. Although so much has happened this week, and we accomplished a lot, this is just the beginning. From here we have to make sure that we keep teaching people about preventing, taking the responsibility that goes along with knowing your status of not effecting others, and help people develop groups that they can lean on so they have the support they need to live longer and healthier lives whether their positive or not.

That’s a rap for now!