Malawi BRIDGE Project

• Project Overview
• Objectives and Strategies
• Research
• Activities and Highlights
• Recent News
• Future Directions
• Materials and Resources
• Contact Information

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Malawi BRIDGE Project is a USAID-funded HIV/AIDS prevention project targeting males and females of reproductive age. CCP and Save the Children US are working together with Population Services International , the Public Affairs Committee, the Malawi Network of AIDS Service Organizations (MANASO), and other local grantees to change the way Malawians think and speak about HIV/AIDS. Most importantly, the project encourages Malawians to adopt behaviors that prevent HIV transmission. The principles and values guiding all interventions are contained in the project’s name:

• Believe in a better future (hope)
• Risk is shared by everyone (personalized risk)
• I can stop AIDS (personal responsibility, action, self-efficacy)
• Discuss HIV/AIDS (openness, destigmatization)
• Gender equity (girls’ empowerment, responsible male behavior)
• Emphasize the positive (action-oriented, community assets, positive-deviant role modeling)

The BRIDGE Project began in July of 2003, and has received three extensions from USAID to continue its groundbreaking work through June of 2009. BRIDGE works at the national, district/community, and individual levels in eight intervention districts – Balaka, Chikwawa, Kasungu, Mangochi, Mulanje, Mzimba, Ntcheu, and Salima.

OBJECTIVES/STRATEGIES

The specific aims of the BRIDGE Project are to:

• Increase the median age at first sex.
• Decrease the number of unmarried youth 15-24 having sex in the last 12 months.
• Decrease the number of men reporting more than one sexual partner during the last 12 months.
• Increase condom use at last sex by unmarried youth.
• Increase condom use by adults with non-regular partners.

RESEARCH

In early 2004, CCP, the Ministry of Health in Malawi, the National AIDS Commission (NAC), Save the Children, and Salephera Consulting, Ltd. conducted qualitative and quantitative baseline research in the BRIDGE Project’s eight intervention districts (Full Baseline Report, Baseline Summary Fact Sheets). The findings suggested that:

• Females are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS than males in regard to high risk sexual behaviors and behavioral predictors, including knowledge, attitude, efficacy, risk perceptions, and normative beliefs.
• Boys aged 15-24 are better prepared than girls, older men, and older women to reduce individual risk factors.
• Girls aged 15-24 are particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS due to their perceived lack of control in virtually every aspect of their lives, including sexual decision making.

The findings also made clear that lack of self-efficacy is a major contributor to low levels of HIV prevention behaviors.

For more information on the Risk Perception Attitude framework used in Bridge research, see Rimal, R. N., & Real, K. (2003). Perceived Risk and Efficacy Beliefs as Motivators of Change: Use of the Risk Perception Attitude (RPA) Framework to Understand Health Behaviors. Human Communication Research. 29: 370-399.

More Resources

ACTIVITIES AND HIGHLIGHTS

Nditha! (“I Can!”) Campaign

Based on the results from the formative research, the BRIDGE project has developed a multi-media campaign that seeks to reinforce feelings of confidence and self-efficacy among Malawians in their ability to prevent HIV and AIDS. Using national radio (English translation), billboards, posters (Phase 1 example: "I can Abstain from Sex" and Phase 2 example: "My Wife is Important to Me")  and community outreach, the campaign highlights small, “do-able” actions that people can take in the short-term that will lead to an open, supportive environment that encourages abstinence, mutual faithfulness, and condom use for HIV prevention.  Nditha! phase one emphasized that Malawians can prevent the spread of HIV and gave examples of how they could do so; phase two focused on what any man can do to demonstrate involvement in HIV prevention.  Nditha! is now shifting into the third phase of its activities to focus on addressing risk perception, specifically concentrating on the vulnerability of young girls’, risks related to alcohol, and mother to child transmission of HIV.

Hope Kit:

The Hope Kit is a package of action-oriented tools and materials designed to be used in a variety of settings to stimulate family and community dialogue about local HIV/AIDS issues, promote the ABCs of HIV prevention, and build confidence in Malawians’ abilities to take action against AIDS. The main components of the Hope Kit are the:

Journey of Hope Activity Book

• This document outlines experiential learning activities and games that can help Malawians stay healthy.
• Message Guide. The Guide calls attention to practical things individuals or groups can do on a daily basis in response to the epidemic, and provides guidance to organizations on how to deliver correct and consistent information about HIV/AIDS.
• Nditha! (“I Can!”) Mass Media Campaign Materials. Nditha! materials were developed to promote confidence in one’s ability to prevent HIV/AIDS.

Supportive materials include:

• ART and VCT information, provided by the National AIDS Commission
• Pakachere Positive Living Handbook, produced by PSI
• Posters about HIV and AIDS, produced by Malawian organizations
• Photographs and testimonials from people living with HIV and AIDS

Supplements to the Hope Kit include:

• Men in Salima doing “My Supporters” - one of the Bambo Wachitsanzo Hope Kit activities

  The “Bambo Wachitsanzo” update (“Bambo Wachitsanzo” means “Great Guy” in Chichewa, the dominant local language in Malawi) – this is a package of HIV and AIDS learning activities that encourage men’s involvement in HIV prevention. The materials in this update help men to recognize the vital role they can play in HIV prevention, care and support. Activities aim at encouraging men to take greater care of themselves, their partners and families, building a “Bambo Wachitsanzo” identity among men in Malawi.
• A Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) update – this is in development and will be designed to generate dialogue and positive support among communities for a spectrum of PMTCT behaviors, including accessing information to understand the risk of passing on HIV to the unborn child; community support for antenatal care and health facility based delivery; positive attitudes towards the use of Nevirapine; and practice of safe infant feeding practices.

Radio Diaries

HIV-related stigma and its harmful consequences are primary contributors to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. As one way to address stigma, the BRIDGE project supports weekly radio diaries featuring the on-going stories of people living with HIV or AIDS (PLHAs) on six local stations. These short, first-person narratives are updated weekly and give listeners a powerful and personal look into the lives of PLWAs. Each station’s production team, consisting of a radio producer and one male and one female PLWA, was trained in interviewing, storytelling, and editing skills to ensure the development of honest and engaging diaries. Production teams receive counseling and support from local PLWA groups. Additionally, radio listening groups monitor community reactions to the diaries on a weekly basis.

Youth Activities

Under its youth portfolio, BRIDGE is building skills of youth groups and inspiring young people to take actions to prevent HIV. BRIDGE supports youth interventions at multiple levels to facilitate an environment in which young people are efficacious, empowered, and energized to “make a difference” in the fight against HIV and AIDS. BRIDGE is working with the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) to strengthen the leadership they provide to youth groups. BRIDGE also participates in the NAC Technical Working Group on Young People, USAID Life Skills Technical Working Group, Malawi Girl Guide Association and Safe Schools Project/YONECO. In the eight project districts, BRIDGE is supporting youth to take action through its collaboration with PSI’s Youth Alert! Program. In its youth activities, BRIDGE emphasizes skills building with community youth groups and involving youth leaders in the design of interventions.

The Sara Initiative

Due to the high incidence of HIV infection among young women under the age of 24, BRIDGE, through its youth portfolio is making a special effort to build HIV awareness and confidence in personal ability to prevent HIV among girls aged 10-14. Originally designed by UNICEF, Sara is the main character in series of comic books designed to empower girls aged 10-14. The BRIDGE project has worked to re-translate and reproduce existing books so that they are more acceptable to young readers. Sara stories were also adapted to a radio program. CCP’s role was primarily in making the program content relevant to the Malawian context. The stories related the challenges this young girl faces with school, parents, and friends as she grows up in Malawi.

Tisankhenji and Engaging Very Young Adolescent Girls
(IR 8.1.2)

This program area began through collaboration with UNICEF to scale-up the use of “Sara” materials in Malawi and has evolved into the home-grown concept of Tisankhenji. The program features original story lines, targets girls aged 10 – 14, and models self-efficacy, decision making and life skills in the context of HIV Prevention. Tisankhenji is a BRIDGE-supported radio program in Chichewa that engages with the dreams, the spirit and the ability of young girls to make a difference.

Nditha! Sparks Newsletter

Nditha! Sparks (English | Chichewa) are a collection of open-ended and discussion provoking scenarios related to relationships and risk behaviours drawn from real-life situations. The series of drawings and scenarios are designed to stimulate discussion around reproductive health issues and build life skills among young people aged 15-19.

District Community Mobilization Activities

This initiative, led by Save the Children, seeks to build the capacity of districts, villages, and communities to take positive action for better health. The BRIDGE project is active in eight districts (Balaka, Chikwawa, Kasungu, Ntcheu, Mangochi, Mulanje, Mzimba, and Salima) working with DACCs (District AIDS Coordinating Committee), CACs (Community AIDS Committee) and VACs (Village AIDS Committee) to promote strategic coordination of behavior change interventions for HIV prevention, skills building around community mobilization methodologies, and support for community identified initiatives to combat HIV locally.

The CACs and collaborating community-based organizations (CBOs) in the BRIDGE emphasis districts support a range of HIV prevention activities, including:

• Youth festivals –including “Tisankhenji” role modeling festivals
• Hope Kit sessions for local groups
• “Agogo” workshops to mobilize the involvement of senior women in HIV prevention – “Agogo” is a term of respect for older women
• Community dialogues and debates with traditional leaders on HIV/AIDS and cultural practices/traditions
• Local advocacy campaigns combating stigma and discrimination
• Monitoring and strengthening HIV prevention activities in VACs
• Conducting HIV prevention meetings
• Working with the District Assemblies and other partners to implement district level HIV/AIDS campaigns

More Resources

RECENT NEWS

Three Girls’ Congresses were successfully implemented by the Malawi Girl Guides Association (MAGGA) during September to October, 2007. The congresses, jointly funded by BRIDGE and the UNFPA , brought together approximately 160 girls from all the regions of Malawi for 5 days each. The main purpose was to enable young women to take a leadership role in the fight against HIV/AIDS at the community level. Sessions included leadership and self-efficacy building activities, as well as information and skills building on resource mobilization, program development and advocacy. After the congresses each participant is required to undertake a local community HIV prevention activity under close monitoring from both MAGGA and BRIDGE.

BRIDGE participated in the 2007 HIV/AIDS Implementers Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda with two poster presentations: “Working with an Advertising Agency to Implement a Behavior Change Communication Campaign: Successes & Challenges” and, “Hope Kit in Ante-Natal Clinics: The Mulanje Experience”.

African Transformation is coming to Malawi! African Transformation (AT) is a tool designed by the Health Communication Partnership to help men and women explore how gender norms have impacted their lives, assist them in overcoming gender barriers, and find ways to work together as a community to reduce the impact/eliminate harmful gender and traditional norms and reinforce those deemed positive. BRIDGE has decided to adapt AT for the Malawian context and is creating new profiles for intergenerational sex, partner violence and social roles.

More Resources

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

The next phase of the Nditha! program will address Malawians’ perception of HIV risk, and will include components on the vulnerability of young women, mother-to-child-transmission of HIV, and increased risk of HIV transmission due to alcohol use.

BRIDGE has been extended to June 2009 and will continue to build on mass media and community mobilization activities. The project is also placing more focus on gender, with new activities like adaptation of the African Transformation tool described above.

More Resources

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES

CONTACT INFORMATION

Glory Mkandawire, Chief of Party
Accord Trust Building
Off Chilambula Road
Lilongwe 4, Malawi
Phone: (265-1) 750-773 or 750-553
Fax: (265-1)750 496
E-mail: gmkandawire@malawibridge.org

Back to top