PAS JUNTOS PROPOSAL 2015

2015 Project ProposalHIV Prevention, Care, and Treatment Grant

Submitted for Consideration to thePublic Affairs Section of the

Embassy of the United States of AmericaAvenida Mao Tse Tung 542

Maputo, Mozambique

Organized by Volunteers serving in theUnited States Peace Corps of Mozambique

Avenida do Zimbabwe 345Maputo, Mozambique

2015 PROJECT PROPOSAL US PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS FEBRUARY 2015HIV PREVENTION GRANT MOZAMBIQUE PAGE 1 OF 22

Table of Contents

1.0 INTRODUCTION 4

1.1 JUNTOS 2014 WORKSHOP DATA 4

1.2 JUNTOS 2014 HIV TESTING AT WORKSHOPS 5

1.3 A VISION FOR JUNTOS 2015 6

2.0 HISTORY OF JOMA/JUNTOS 6

3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 8

3.1 MISSION STATEMENT 8

3.2 PROJECT MOTIVATION 8

3.3 PROJECT GOALS 9

3.4 CHANGES AND PRIORITIES FOR 2015 9

3.5 JUNTOS 2015 PROJECT STRUCTURE AND COMPONENTS 11

3.5.1 PHASE 1 - REGIONAL PLANNING AND TRAINING 12

3.5.2 PHASE 2 - WORKSHOPS AND TECHNICAL TRAINING 12

3.5.3 PHASE 3 – COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS AND EXPERIENCE EXCHANGES 13

3.5.4 LOCAL GROUP MEETINGS 14

3.6 MONITORING AND EVALUATION 15

3.6.1 MONITORING AND EVALUATION RESULTS OF JUNTOS 2013 15

3.6.2 EXPECTED MONITORING AND EVALUATION RESULTS OF JUNTOS 2014 16

3.6.3 COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION RESULTS OF JUNTOS 2013 17

3.6.4 EXPECTED COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION RESULTS OF JUNTOS 2014 18

3.7 SUSTAINABILITY 18

3.8 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 2014 19


TABLE 1 – JUNTOS 2015 LEADERSHIP AND OFFICER CONTACT INFORMATION

NamePosition(s)Moz Group

Phone Number(s)

Email

Matthew KennellyNational [email protected]

Dione PeartFinancial [email protected]

Samantha KruegerNiassa Regional Coordinator (Public Relations Team)

[email protected]

Mateus Lesta JumapiliNiassa Regional Representative

[email protected]

Tommy Lee, Jr.Zambezia Regional Coordinator (Public Relations team)

[email protected]

Chandinho MizeZambezia Regional Representative

HCN829324367867969801

[email protected]

Sean MillerCabo Delgado Coordinator (Monitoring and Evaluation team)

[email protected]

Mark Prunella-MillerNampula Regional Coordinator (Monitoring and Evaluation team)

[email protected]

Thelma AlvarezManica, Sofala & Tete Regional Coordinator (Curriculum team)

[email protected]

Carly ChafeyManica, Sofala & Tete Regional Coordinator (Curriculum team)

21844296783829035803

[email protected]

Alfredo ManicoManica, Sofala & Tete Regional Representative

HCN823000832843803359

[email protected]

Andre Geraldo MuhurubeSouthern Regional Representative

HCN824142690864142690

[email protected]

Erin SodawasserSouthern Regional Coordinator (Monitoring and Evaluation team)

[email protected]

Lauren HoislSouthern Regional Coordinator (Monitoring and Evaluation team)

21829035756844202057

[email protected]


Disclaimer: JOMA to JUNTOS Name Change In 2011, there was a misunderstanding with government officials in one of the provinces of Mozambique. Due to confusion with JOMA and the words used in it (Jovens para o Mudança e Aççao), the Mozambican government asked Peace Corps to change the name of the group. The new name JUNTOS (Jovens Unidos No Trabalho para Oportunidades e Sucesso) was chosen in Feburary of 2012. The project objectives and its policies remain same.

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Jovens Unidos No Trabalho para Oportunidades e Sucesso (JUNTOS), formerly known as JOMA (Jovens para o Mudança e Aççao), is a project geared towards educating adolescents about important quality of life issues such as HIV/AIDS, and gender equality through community-based workshops, projects, training, and exchanges of arts and culture.

Since 2006, this project has provided resources and knowledge to hundreds of Mozambican youths on the topics of gender equality, HIV/AIDS propagation, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, sexual health, etc. JUNTOS has worked to educate and help young Mozambicans make healthy decisions in the interest of their futures. This is done by equipping them with the knowledge and the tools to improve their leadership skills, decision-making, and self-esteem; thus making them more motivated and effective students and community members.

JUNTOS approaches the important issues mentioned above in an interactive manner. Instead of solely educating Mozambican youths about the dangers of HIV/AIDS, the group participants are given-guided resources to help them discuss, learn, and precipitate the information in an alternative and more creative way, using communication media and performing arts. This charges the groups to become spokesmen for healthy behavior.

JUNTOS groups are created on the basis of extracurricular activities related to communication: journalism, theater, photography, art, dance, and music. These extracurricular groups use these technical areas to communicate important issues to their schools and communities. Youths participating in these groups gain new technical skill sets, self-esteem, and become active and productive members of their communities. JUNTOS groups alongside offering creative outlets also encourage students to stay in school and dedicate themselves to their education. This project gives Mozambican youths the resources and opportunities to help them work towards success.

Participation data obtained from JUNTOS workshops held in 2014 are summarized in Sections 1.1 and 1.2, below. These results provide an indication of the number of individuals directly impacted by JUNTOS activities. For a more detailed breakdown of last year’s program including results from


Training of Trainers Seminars (ToTs), Workshops and site visits please refer to the 2014 JUNTOS report submitted to the Public Affairs Section of the Embassy of the United States of America in November 2014.

1.1 JUNTOS 2014 WORKSHOPS DATA

Thirteen (13) Workshops were scheduled from May to July 2014. A total of 410 youths along with Counterparts and Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) from all over Mozambique participated in one of the 13 Workshops.

These Workshops were weekend-long conferences; facilitated by Mozambican Counterparts. The Workshops generally began on a Friday evening and continued through Saturday and Sunday with participants returning home on Monday. The students in attendance were aged 15-24, and included both males and females. The workshops covered the JUNTOS curriculum focused on HIV/AIDS – awareness, prevention, transmission, biology of the virus, and treatment; gender equality; leadership; self-esteem; puberty; and role models.

JUNTOS' mission today is just as important as when the project began in 2006. Despite the advances made in the past 9 years by Mozambican Counterparts, youth participants, and Peace Corps Volunteers, there is still a lot of work to be done. UNICEF reports on its website:

AIDS-related deaths amongst adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 increased by 50 per cent between 2005 and 2012, rising from 71,000 to 110,000, in stark contrast to progress made in preventing mother-to-child transmission. There were approximately 2.1 million adolescents living with HIV in 2012. (http://www.unicef.org/mozambique/media_14016.html)

JUNTOS remains fully committed in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

1.2 JUNTOS 2014 HIV TESTING AT WORKSHOPS

At 5 of the Workshops in 2014, JUNTOS partnered with a qualified NGO to provide voluntary HIV testing and counseling for participants. Please note, due to age consent restrictions for minors, some Workshop coordinators opted not to offer HIV testing. The students taking these tests were aged 15-24. At the workshops where testing was offered, a trained health technician administered the tests and provided consultation to a total of 85 participants. The results are summarized in TABLE 3 below.

TABLE 2 – SUMMARY OF HIV VOLUNTARY TESTING AMONG 2013 WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

Workshop LocationNumber Tested Male

Number Tested Female

Total Number Tested

Montepuez, Cabo Delgado404


Monapo. Nampula13720Chiqueque, Inhambane111728Gondola, Manica15318Buzi, Sofala12315

Total553085

1.3 VISION FOR JUNTOS 2015

In July 2014, the newly elected officers of JUNTOS 2015 met to discuss goals and priorities for the upcoming year. The officers communicated a common vision for JUNTOS 2015: To establish sustainable, local, youth driven culture and art groups that actively educate the greater community about quality of life issues, emphasizing HIV/AIDS prevention, while promoting an environment of volunteerism.

The JUNTOS project evolves every year in correspondence to the project needs. It has also continuously evolved with the goal of using its granted funds in the most responsible and effective way possible. In order to meet the vision of the officers of JUNTOS 2015, the following five priorities will be implemented for 2015 (see 3.4 CHANGES AND PRIORITIES OF JUNTOS 2015 for a description of these priorities):

● Priority #1 – Increasing participation of both students and Counterparts in order to better integrate within the communities.

● Priority #2 – Streamlining administrative procedure so as to make participation in JUNTOS programs more accessible (i.e. Community Events, Workshops, etc.)

● Priority #3 – Augmenting Mozambican presence within the JUNTOS leadership so as to eventually provide full Mozambican leadership and legalization within the Mozambican government for the program

Below are other priorities identified for the year (in no particular order):

● Priority #4 – Increasing sustainable projects for JUNTOS groups and increase in partnerships.

● Priority #5 – Reviewing and editing provided JUNTOS program information to better reflect the most current and effective tactics for JUNTOS topics.

2.0 HISTORY OF JOMA/JUNTOS

JOMA (Jovens para o Mudança e Aççao) was implemented by Peace Corps Volunteers in 2006 as a project to effect healthy behavior changes in young Mozambican men. It focused on developing such life skills as critical thinking, communication, project management, civic responsibility, sexual health, and self-esteem, all while striving to promote productive dialog on gender inequality and stereotypes on


the community level. Its innovative approach was designed to enable a more personal processing of information regarding healthy behavior. It also aimed to provide participants with more effective communication skills to strengthen both their own understanding of these life skills and to promote this discussion with their communities and peers. Peace Corps Volunteers formed groups in secondary schools and focused them on one of the four specific areas of communication: theater, journalism, photography, or art. More recently, theatre was expanded to include other performing arts, such as music and dance.

In its first year, JOMA held a national conference in Maputo, at which two student representatives, a Peace Corps Volunteer, and an adult Mozambican counterpart (usually a fellow teacher at the school), participated from each group. Over the course of the conference, participants attended sessions on HIV/AIDS. In the months that followed the conference, the students took their new understanding on HIV/AIDS, risks of transmission, and proper prevention, and started community-based projects to share what they had learned.

In more recent years, the project began offering free and voluntary HIV testing and counseling by trained professionals at the conferences as well. In the first four years that testing was offered, the number of conference participants utilizing this resource has continued to increase. In 2009, 113 Mozambicans were tested for HIV and more people participated in the conference. In 2010, the number of individuals tested increased to 138. In 2011, the number increased to 158. Unfortunately, the necessity for on-site HIV testing was not communicated to regional coordinators in 2012, and most Workshops did not provide this service. Therefore, the number decreased to 24. In 2013, the number of HIV tested attendees remained strong at 109. The officers of JUNTOS 2015 will continue the increasing trend of the number of participants being tested during workshops.

In 2008, the project expanded to include three regional conferences in Maputo, Chimoio, and Nampula, instead of a single national conference in Maputo. Also in 2008, the project developed manuals for each project area that integrated comprehensive guides to the technical skills with gender inequality awareness and HIV/AIDS prevention messages. The manuals also included activities, exercises, educational resources, project ideas, and administrative advice on how to run a strong club. These manuals were produced in both Portuguese and English so that they can be fully utilized by both Peace Corps Volunteers and Mozambican Counterparts.

JOMA conferences divided even further in 2009 when a southern conference was added in Inhambane province, creating a total of 289 participants across the four conferences. The project added music as a mode of communication, and three (3) music groups attended the conferences. The year 2009 also saw the addition of female conference participants! JOMA leadership decided that although the project began as male sexual health community groups, JOMA’s exclusion of women was counterproductive to its ultimate goal of promoting gender equality. The project expects that the safe environment created to discuss gender and stereotypes must be extended to include young girls. Without the perspectives and opinions of the young women in gender discussions, JOMA could not effectively work towards challenging and developing the masculine understanding of gender.

In 2010, JOMA held 4 conferences in Maputo, Chimoio, Quelimane, and Nampula. These conferences


were shorter – three days – and consisted exclusively of sessions revolving around gender theory, responsible program design and management, leadership skills, and HIV/AIDS education. Throughout the first four years of the project, much of the conferences’ curriculum focused on the specific training in the communication skills. Mozambican professionals in the various project areas worked with conference participants to develop basic skills that they would be able to, in turn, teach to the rest of their group in the community. However, in 2010, JOMA leadership decided to withhold all technical training from the actual conferences and to begin a new component of the project in which the technical trainers visit the groups in the communities. These technical site visits were greatly successful in their first year of implementation and continue to this day.

In 2011, there was an unfortunate misunderstanding with government officials in one of the provinces of Mozambique. Due to confusion with the JOMA name and the words used in it “Jovens para o Mudança e Acçao”, the Mozambican government asked Peace Corps to change the name of the group. The new name JUNTOS (Jovens Unidos No Trabalho para Oportunidades e Sucesso) was decided upon in early February 2012, its objectives, and policies remained the same.

Also in 2011, JOMA/JUNTOS made a structural transition from holding a few large national conferences to having more regional conferences called Workshops. These Workshops were weekend-long conferences; facilitated by Mozambican Counterparts, these workshops covered the JOMA/JUNTOS curriculum of HIV/AIDS prevention and transmission, gender and its inequality, sexual health, puberty and reproduction, self-esteem, community leadership and communication. A total of 13 regional workshops were held in 2011.

3.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The main objective of the JUNTOS project is to educate Mozambican youth about quality of life issues emphasizing HIV/AIDS awareness and to provide them with the knowledge, tools and methods necessary to communicate these issues to the greater community. A description of JUNTOS Mission Statement, Motivation and Goals are provided below.

3.1 MISSION STATEMENT

“Promoting positive behavior change in the Mozambican youth to reduce HIV/AIDS incidences through cultural expression.” – JUNTOS

3.2 PROJECT MOTIVATION

JUNTOS was developed out of an observed need by Peace Corps Volunteers serving in Mozambique. Although the project first came to life in 2006, Education and Health Volunteers have identified a need for a project like JUNTOS since Peace Corps' introduction to Mozambique in 1998. The learning environment in schools and communities did not foster a feeling of a “safe space” where youth could


feel at ease discussing potentially sensitive issues such as sexual health, gender issues, or HIV/AIDS.

JUNTOS was created to cater to the participants involved in the project. The extracurricular framework was created to build upon the students' interests, and the educational curriculum was formed to educate participants on important issues affecting Mozambican youth and their communities. Through instilling these ideas in the Mozambican participants and teaching them about self-esteem and leadership, these participants have the tools to become an example for their peers and leaders in their community.

The 2 main aspects of JUNTOS are training in technical skills related to communication and exploration and education of important societal topics, by the way of forming an imperative bond. Equipped with this new information and new technical skills, participants can then express and communicate important messages about topics like HIV/AIDS or sexual health to their communities in a creative and effective ways.

3.3 PROJECT GOALS

These goals were developed with respect to policies set for by PEPFAR as well as Mozambique’s National AIDS Council (CNCS):

1. Development of a strong knowledge base and a promotion of health attitudes and behaviors concerning equality of gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and leadership and communication among Mozambican youth.

2. Training of Mozambican role models to guide youth in the exploration of cultural gender norms and selection of healthier behaviors.

3. Using communication skills to design and execute community-based projects to share knowledge of healthy behavior.

3.4 CHANGES AND PRIORITIES OF JUNTOS 2015

In an effort to build upon the solid foundation left by the 2014 Leadership Team, five (5) priorities have been identified to strengthen the JUNTOS program and brand. These focus areas will help realize the vision: To establish sustainable, local, youth driven culture and art centers that actively educate the greater community about quality of life issues, emphasizing HIV/AIDS prevention, while promoting an environment of volunteerism. The officers of JUNTOS 2015 established the following five (5) priorities:

Priority #1 – Increasing Student and Counterpart Involvement within JUNTOSTo build bridges between JUNTOS groups and their communities, JUNTOS 2015 will encourage the use of local resources and a grassroots approach. Ideally, during Training of Trainers Seminars, Workshop and Community-based events, all participants, from the individual who facilitates the session


to the spectators to the cooks, will be from the local region. This will not only minimize travel and food costs, but also reinforce the JUNTOS brand among the community members and professionals.

Community integration is key to the eventuality and permanent effect of the JUNTOS program. Continued interest within the communities, students, and counterparts will encourage a vested interest in the permanent behavioral changes directed by the JUNTOS program.

Priority #2 – Streamlining of Administrative Procedures (i.e. Monitoring and Evaluation, Communication, Reporting, etc.)Last year, many helpful Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) tools were developed to measure the effectiveness of JUNTOS’ Activities. The results showed the JUNTOS project has made great impacts on the lives of those who are involved by both educating individuals and communities about social issues and by providing an outlet for arts and cultural exploration. For many, participation in the JUNTOS program has led to a healthy change in behavior. JUNTOS 2015 plans to take a look at all of the materials and streamline the tools so they are more manageable for group leaders who may not be accustomed to M&E activities. M&E will also be covered during Training of Trainers Seminars (ToTs). Each participant will be trained by receiving an overview on each M&E tool, how it should be used, its importance, and how to submit it/who to submit it to. JUNTOS 2014 will update the targets developed for the performance management program. More detail can be found in 3.8 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

Last year, a significant breakdown in communication and misunderstanding of reporting forms led to a lack of reporting numbers that obstructed an evaluation of the total impact of JUNTOS-based behavioral changes. A more rigorous schedule, clearer communication, and regular contingency will assure a more explicit and complex explanation of the full impact of the JUNTOS program.

Priority #3 – Focus on Increasing Mozambican Participation within Permanent JUNTOS LeadershipRegistration of the JUNTOS program as a not-for-profit organization within the Mozambican government is an eventual goal to mark the ultimate sustainability of the program within the country. The principal step in this process is to search within existent groups and Counterparts for invested, interested, responsible, and determined Host Country Nationals who wish to carry on the JUNTOS ideals. The JUNTOS 2015 leadership has already assumed four Mozambican Regional Representatives who have been assisting in forming cultural bridges between the Volunteer leaders and the Mozambican communities. the JUNTOS 2015 Leadership proposes on having one representative from every province in Mozambique to assist in ToT, Workshop, and Community Event participation as well as to form long-lasting relationships within the communities with the JUNTOS program.

Priority #4 – Sustainability & Partnerships. Every year since its inception, the JUNTOS project has grown when compared to the previous years. This growth must be paired with sustainability efforts to ensure the future of the project. Each of the subsequent priorities (counterpart involvement, strengthening membership, etc) plays a role in sustaining current activities and positioning JUNTOS for future growth. Additionally, the JUNTOS 2015 Leadership team proposes to 1) Partner with an existing organization or Ministry that has both a


similar reach and objective within Mozambique as JUNTOS; 2) Encourage groups to begin fundraising for project activities; 3) Look into the process and feasibility of registering JUNTOS as a not-for-profit entity in Mozambique. A more detailed discussion about these changes can be found in 3.7 SUSTAINABILITY.

Priority #5 – Review and Edit of JUNTOS Information. The JUNTOS 2015 Leadership has pledged itself to improve the provided materials for ToTs, Workshops, and Community Events. A review of all pertinent information shared with the groups is required to assure that the groups are receiving the best possible information. More information of HIV/AIDS treatment and care as well as destigmatization of the disease within the communities will be highlighted and better developed as well as information and resources for cases of domestic abuse. These additions will be done in conjunction with editing of other modules such as puberty and sexual health, self-esteem, malaria, etc.

3.5 JUNTOS 2015 PROJECT STRUCTURE AND COMPONENTS

JUNTOS uses a multi-phased approach to accomplish project goals. The management of JUNTOS 2015 is split into the following six (6) regions, each headed by a Regional Coordinator (all of whom are Peace Corps Volunteers): Cabo Delgado, Nampula, Niassa, Zambezia, Central (includes Tete, Manica and Sofala provinces), and Southern (includes Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane provinces). The project is organized into three (3) phases: Phase 1 – Regional Planning and Training, Phase 2 – Workshop and Technical Training, and Phase 3 – Community-Based Projects and Experience Exchanges

Although JUNTOS groups meet on a weekly basis, each of the phases are characterized by regional events scheduled throughout the year. These events include: the Regional Planning and Training Seminar (Training of Trainers or TOTs) held in March, the Regional Workshop starting in Mid-May, and Community-Based Projects and Experience Exchanges occurring throughout the school year (with the majority of community scheduled for July, after the completion of Phase 2).

FIGURE 1, below is a graphical representation of the project structure and components. FIGURE 2, on the following page, is a calendar of events for 2015.

FIGURE 1 – SUMMARY OF THE JUNTOS 2015 PROJECT STRUCTURE AND COMPONENTS


FIGURE 2 – CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR JUNTOS 2015

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPT

OCT

NOVDEC

JUNTOSAdministrative

Monthly Leadership Conference

calls commence,--------------Informal,

start-of-the-year

meeting to discuss the upcoming

year.

Submit 2015

Proposal into PAS

2015 Proposal Approved______

Planning starts for

election of 2016

Leadership Team

________M&E Report

#1 due to PAS

________Order

Workshop manuals and

T-shirts

Funds received

from PAS_______Handover Meeting

with newly elected 2016

Leadership Team

M&E Report #2

due to PAS

2015 PAS Final

Report and

Budget Deadline

Transition from 2015 to 2016 Leadership

Phase 1: Regional Planning and Training

Regional Coordinator

s contact groups and organize

Training of Trainers (TOTs)

seminars for their region

__________________TOT and

Workshop Curriculum

finalized

Continued regional

coordination, and

updating Membershi

p list as present and

future PCVs

cycle in and out.

Regional

TOTs take place


Phase 2: Workshops and Technical Training

Regional Coordinators organize Workshops

for their region

Regional

Coordinators

organize

Workshops for

their region

Regional Coordinators

organize Workshops

for their region

Workshops take place

Phase 3: Community-Based Projects and Experience Exchanges

Community-Based projects can start for active

groups that have

participated in

previous years

Majority of Community

-Based projects

being held

3.5.1 Phase 1 - Regional Planning and Training

JUNTOS 2015 plans to begin the school year with regional outreach activities in an effort to mobilize already existing groups and to provide information to those interested in starting groups. Regional organizers will contact group leaders via telephone and email, both Counterparts and Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV) to understand the level of participation within each region. Invitations for the Training of Trainers Seminar (ToT), scheduled for March, will be sent to group Counterparts and/or PCVs. The Training of Trainers is aimed at informing participants about the JUNTOS projects, getting JUNTOS groups active at the community level early in the year, and preparing members for regional events. Seminars will focus on how to be an effective group leader, run a workshop, facilitate workshop planning, and the other types of JUNTOS events available throughout the rest of the calendar year. At these seminars, each group leader will receive an updated curriculum and materials to use during the rest of the year. Groups will develop their projects and technical abilities through a combination of this material, Regional Workshops, and in-province support from their respective Regional Coordinators.

3.5.2 Phase 2 – Regional Workshops

The Regional Workshops are not just for the JUNTOS group leaders (Mozambican Counterparts and/or PCVs), but for a select number of youth members from each group. At the Workshops, education about the prevention, treatment, and destigmatization of HIV/AIDS and other quality of life issues are explored in-depth; training in proper communication through arts and culture is also given through PCV and/or Counterpart Instruction. Starting in Mid-May to July 2015, JUNTOS plans to hold a minimum of 15 Workshops across the country, with participation ranging from 3-8 groups at each one. Each Workshop will last a full


weekend, beginning on a Friday night and concluding on Sunday afternoon. Last year, a total of 5 students from each group were invited to participate in workshops (please note, this maximum limit was set last year in an effort to reduce the overall budget of the project). However, this participation limit has not hurt the productivity of groups in the community as past years’ experience shows participants go back and communicate the material learned to other members of the group. In 2015, Workshops will include 5 students, 1 Mozambican Counterpart, and 1 Peace Corps Volunteer per group.

Mozambican Counterparts will facilitate Workshop sessions, focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention, gender equality in the community, leadership, sexual health, self-esteem, communication, and malaria prevention. In correlation with the HIV/AIDS sessions, these Workshops will also provide free HIV testing and counseling. The Workshops provide the students with a safe environment to learn about, explore, and debate these issues. In addition, workshops encourage groups to exchange ideas and experiences regarding their work, weekly activities, and projects in their communities.

3.5.3 Phase 3 - Community -Based Projects and Experience Exchanges

Phase 3 utilizes skills and knowledge acquired in Phase 2 to educate the greater community about the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other social issues through arts and culture. This can be achieved through performing arts events or media-based exhibitions (e.g. newsletter, photography exhibit, etc.), or cultural events made accessible to the community. These events are organized as Community-Based Projects.

In past years, budget was allotted for one group to combine with another group so that together they may participate in one Experience Exchange (Trocas de Experiência) and one Community-Based Project per year. In an effort to streamline community projects and make them more substantive, JUNTOS 2014 combined trocas and community projects and JUNTOS 2015 will continue this tradition. Community-Based Projects must utilize the technical skills learned in Phase 2 to communicate JUNTOS’ messages of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and destigmatization; gender equality; and youth leadership. For example, a theater group can create and perform a play based on these themes. A journalism group can start a local newspaper addressing these issues within their schools and communities. A music group can write and record songs with HIV/AIDS prevention methods in conjunction with a local radio station. The possibilities are various and can be tailored to the specific strengths, interests, and resources of each group.

Request forms/proposals for community program funding have been changed to reflect JUNTOS 2015’s new way forward by including more instruction on the M&E of a project. These forms will be submitted to Regional Coordinators for initial review and relevant feedback. Next, the forms will be submitted to the JUNTOS National Coordinator, Financial Coordinator and Monitoring & Evaluation Team Leader for final review and approval of funding. Costs for community-based projects can be paid for by JUNTOS Small Grants or through outside fundraising activities. These Small Grants are meant to cover the one time material costs, such as paint for art projects, instruments for music groups, and printing costs for journalism groups, etc. These grants will be available to JUNTOS groups through an application process; pending JUNTOS leadership's approval, money will be distributed to the Peace Corps Volunteer or Counterparts, which lead the group. This adult leader is responsible for reporting the


transactions and expenditures to their Regional Coordinator through receipts and filling out the Reporting Form after the Community event takes place. JUNTOS 2015 is also encouraging groups to fundraise for their community activities in an effort to become more sustainable.

3.5.4 Local Group Meetings

The majority of knowledge is transmitted and reinforced at local group meetings between group members. Typically, JUNTOS groups are formed at the start of the school year and begin meeting on a regular bases in February. During the formation of a group, members choose a mode of communication, or technical area, that they as a group would like to focus on for the year. These technical areas include journalism, photojournalism, theatre, dance, art, and music, or some variation. The PCV and/or Counterpart create instructional material and provide technical training to the group during weekly meetings; they also begin introducing topics focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention, gender equality in the community, leadership, sexual health, communication, and self-esteem at meetings learned during Training of Trainer Seminars (ToTs) and Regional Workshops (see subsections for 3.5.1 Phase 1 and 3.5.2 Phase 2 above for more information on these events). These two themes, communication and community health, are emphasized at all meetings throughout the year. An open and safe environment is created in which members can express themselves and their ideas. In some instances, outside qualified professionals are invited to assist with educating the youths. In the past, this has been a professor, health technician, and/or local artist.

Additionally, official JUNTOS manuals in each of the technical areas are available to groups electronically. These manuals integrate gender, cultural, and HIV/AIDS themes with art, music, journalism, photojournalism, and theatre instruction to maintain a year-long focus on the project goals. Through regular group lessons and activities in their chosen technical area, team-building exercises, and discussions during the year, all students involved in a JUNTOS group are provided the opportunity to develop their communication skills and spread understanding of JUNTOS’ core messages. These manuals, which are written in curriculum format, can be followed by groups and/or used as a guide for group leaders.

Once a level of competency is reached in both the technical and public health aspects of the project, groups begin planning for community projects (see subsection 3.5.3 Phase 3 - Community -Based Projects and Experience Exchanges above for more information). These events, among other activities, will include an original presentation that merges both the health aspects of the project with the communication component in a way that educates the greater community. In order to create and prepare for these presentations many groups begin meeting more than once a week to rehearse the material. Group members see these events as a celebration and an expression of the work that has been completed throughout the year. As a result, not only do events educate the greater community about important health issues, they reinforce the material, and provide incentive for groups to continue participating in JUNTOS in the following years.

3.6 MONITORING AND EVALUTION


The current JUNTOS structure for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) was first developed in 2013 as a mode of improvement in data acquisition and extrapolation. This structure aimed at clarifying the goals and objectives of the JUNTOS project to leadership, participants, and funding sources; as well as promoting the most efficient use of resources through comparison of efficacy of JUNTOS activities, and encouraging feedback and recommendations to improve activities.

In accordance with the program, instruments including questionnaires, surveys, tests, and evaluations were developed and administered to JUNTOS participants throughout the year. At the end of 2014, data was collected throughout the provinces and fed through the Monitoring and Evaluation team to then be explained and extrapolated for the Annual Report. The following sections provide a discussion of results from 2014 as well as the expected results of 2015.

3.6.1 Monitoring and Evaluation Results of JUNTOS 2014

Skills and Abilities Evaluation Surveys: At the beginning of the year, group leaders were asked to perform surveys on knowledge pertaining to the JUNTOS goals. Again in September, the leaders evaluated their group members to see if there was an increase in JUNTOS-promoted attitudes and behaviors. The goal of 80% participants developing JUNTOS promoted skills was met and surpassed with 84.3% of JUNTOS behaviors followed by the end of the year. However, there was only a 13.2% average increase across surveys done in the beginning of the year and at the end indicating a high level of understanding on some of the goals in the beginning. Of the active groups, only eight groups from one province (Inhambane) provided surveys for both the beginning- and end-of-the-year surveys, using the average extrapolated across all active groups. With only an 8% response rate nationally and those responses being isolated to only one province, this number has low confidence. JUNTOS 2015 aims to increase the response rate of the Skills and Abilities Evaluation surveys by discussing its importance and proper way of filling it out. Also, 2015 Regional Coordinators will communicate more with PCVs and/or Mozambican Counterparts to ensure all surveys are turned in during ToTs and Workshops as this is historically when groups are most engaged.

Adoption of Healthy Attitudes and Behaviors Questionnaire: As ToTs wrapped up during March and April, groups administered the Adoption of Healthy Attitudes and Behaviors Questionnaire. An anonymous, 16-question survey gauged the development in JUNTOS-promoted behavioral changes among members of JUNTOS groups. The target was set at 70% of participants adopting promoted behaviors and reporting groups only reported a 65.3% average on the post-test not meeting the goal and a 5.4% decrease in average scores from 2013. Only eleven groups reported both pre- and post-test scores, again only reporting from one province (Inhambane) and thus the numbers have low confidence in extrapolation across the national program. JUNTOS 2015 aims to increase the response rate of the Adoption of Healthy Attitudes and Behaviors Questionnaire by discussing its importance and proper way of filling it out. Also, 2015 Regional Coordinators will communicate more with PCVs and/or Mozambican Counterparts to ensure all questionnaires are turned in during ToTs and Workshops as this is historically when groups are most engaged.


Regional Workshop PRE-/POST- Test Results: During June and July, 13 regional Workshops occurred across Mozambique in order to facilitate Phase 2 of the JUNTOS structure, to provide, analyze, and synthesize material and information for JUNTOS youth members so that it may then be brought into the community. The target was set at 75% mastery of JUNTOS-promoted material at the end of the Workshops, but reporting groups showed a 73.3% average on the post-test, not meeting the target. This showed a 14.1% growth from the pre-test to the post-test. With a high number of reporting groups, this provides a high confidence for reporting. JUNTOS 2014 will update the Training of Trainers and Workshop curriculum. The questions on the Pre- and Post- tests will be modified as deemed necessary.

3.6.2 Expected Monitoring and Evaluation Results of JUNTOS 2014

JUNTOS 2015 anticipates that there should be an increase in the numbers of questions being answered correctly in the pre-tests. Ideally, the participants from 2014 will continue to participate in the program and educate their communities locally. Therefore they should arrive at workshops more informed. It is also anticipated that a similar increase in the number of questions answered correctly in the post-test compared to the pre-test questions will be observed.

Additionally, JUNTOS 2015 plans to further enhance monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities by examining positive behavior changes resulting from other JUNTOS activities, as well as enhancing reporting metrics. There will also be time allotted during Training of Trainers (ToTs) to train group leaders (Peace Corps Volunteers and Mozambican Counterparts) on existing M&E tools, their importance and how to use them properly.

3.6.3 Community Participation Results of JUNTOS 2013

JUNTOS Membership: During the year, participation and active groups were evaluated based on participation in the JUNTOS-organized events, mainly the 13 regional Workshops. The target was set at 90 active groups and the information surveyed was 97 active groups. Thus the target set for baseline JUNTOS community growth was achieved and surpassed with a 20% increase nationally in project outreach.

These groups were calculated as to having 1175 active members, meeting and surpassing the target of 1100 active members with a 1% increase from 2013. An active member is defined as one which participates in at least 50% of the group’s activities. These numbers were extrapolated from a survey with 29 groups responding with an average 12.1 members in each group.


Community-Based Projects: Community Events are the basis for Phase 3 of the JUNTOS structure. JUNTOS youth members, educated through regular meetings and attended Workshops, are able to provide this material in a relatable and understandable nature for community members. Community Events are not required, though heavily encouraged, and provide for the largest dispersal of JUNTOS-provided material. These Events included informative murals, palestras (informative presentations) from educated JUNTOS leaders, youth members, and members of the community such as doctors and nurses, dance performances and songs promoting positive and negative ideas of the various topics, as well as others.

Qualitatively, many more Community Events occurred throughout the year as dances, theatrical pieces, and information provided through other activities during school and national events and holidays. Unfortunately, the reporting received only derives from JUNTOS-funded (and, thus, PEPFAR-funded) events. These events are usually more considerable in size and provide a more structured and complex approach to Phase 3 goals as opposed to a short performance.

Only seven Community Events were reported for the year of 2014, a significantly lower number than that of the target of 72 as well as the 178 reported in 2013. In 2013, however, Community Events were measured whether they were funded by JUNTOS or not, and thus their number appears much higher than that of 2014.

Of the seven reported Community Events for 2014, surveys were provided before and after the event so as to measure understood material throughout the Community Event and four Events reported pre- and post-surveys. As there is no standardized survey provided for Community Events (since each event is unique and promotes different JUNTOS-determined aims and goals), only the average increase in knowledge can be reported as 42.2%. A 57% reporting rate permits a level of confidence on these numbers. This average increase of knowledge does not meet the target of 70%, but shows a 51% increase from 28% reported during 2013. Thus, of those reported, community members are learning and retaining more JUNTOS-promoted material during this year’s Community Events as opposed to those of last year.

JUNTOS 2015 is committed to fully reporting all possible Community Events including those that are not directly funded by the JUNTOS program. Aside from financial considerations, all presentations made from a JUNTOS group to its community is vital to the overall success of JUNTOS and thus must be considered in the final evaluation of the entire impact JUNTOS has within Mozambique.

TABLE 4 provides a summary of community impact for JUNTOS 2014.

TABLE 3 – SUMMARY JUNTOS 2014 COMMUNITY IMPACT

Community ActivityTotal National NumbersJUNTOS Groups97

JUNTOS Participants*1175


JUNTOS ToT Participants136

JUNTOS Workshop Participants410

Community-Based events7

*This number is an estimate based on each group having 12.1 “regular” participants.

3.6.4 Expected Community Participation Results of JUNTOS 2015

JUNTOS 2015 aims to strengthen it existing active groups by providing continued support of their needs, as well as expanding membership by welcoming the formation of at least 10 new JUNTOS groups. JUNTOS 2015 hopes to see the overall number of regular participants reach [NUMBER] this year.

3.7 SUSTAINABILITY

In order to build upon the policies set in previous years, including maintaining growth while operating within a reasonable budget, JUNTOS 2015 leadership proposes 1) Partner with an existing organization that has both a similar reach and objective within Mozambique as JUNTOS; 2) Encourage groups to begin fundraising for project activities; 3) Look into the process and feasibility of registering JUNTOS as a not-for-profit entity in Mozambique.

The JUNTOS 2015 Leadership team is also looking into partnerships this year with an existing organization that has both a similar reach and objective within Mozambique. For example, an organization like Positivo, that disseminates positive educational messages to youth via writing and music, would be a good fit. They could assist with reviewing existing JUNTOS materials on specific areas (theater, music, dance, journalism, photography, art); be a guest speaker or share materials during a Training of Trainers Seminar (ToTs) or Workshop; assist with filming JUNTOS meetings and/or community activities to have a high quality public relations piece that explains what JUNTOS does, shows images of its impact in the community. The video(s) could possibly be used as an informative tool during TOTs and/or Workshops.

It is believed that the long-term sustainability of JUNTOS will be best achieved by implementing the following social mechanisms: empowering Mozambican Counterparts, and establishing partnerships (with organizations as well as Provincial Ministries). In 2014, Counterparts will be involved in each step of the planning process, including identifying regional leaders to assist with coordination of JUNTOS activities. The Ministry of Education has been contacted to begin discussions about potential areas of synergy. One potential improvement of such a partnership is for JUNTOS to obtain access to school dorms free of charge during TOTs, Workshops, and other project activities, thereby, decreasing lodging costs. Also, in an effort to possibly diversify funding sources, JUNTOS 2015 plans to explore feasibility of registering the project as a NFP entity in Mozambique in the future.

Students who participate in JUNTOS have also been participants in other Peace Corps-supported


secondary projects such as the National Science Fair and English Theater. This would thus allow us to partner up and meet further responsible Mozambican Counterparts who might be interested in the JUNTOS project as well as assist in certain community projects such as Dance, Theater, and Journalism. Finding qualified and interested leaders to assist groups in realization of desired projects while maintaining the JUNTOS ideology would further increase our membership and also connect us with Mozambican institutions and businesses associated with these other secondary projects.

JUNTOS will continue to support the JUNTOS groups lead by a Mozambican Counterpart, where no Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) is present. Communication within a province will be maintained in a more efficient and organized way so that information pertaining to JUNTOS overall or regional JUNTOS events reaches PCVs and the independent Mozambican-lead groups.

3.8 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

JUNTOS’ mission is to shape positive behavior change in its youth participants, a challenging goal to monitor and evaluate. Last year, JUNTOS recognized the value of receiving feedback on the performance of project activities and emphasized a streamlining of M&E procedures in order to attain the following objectives: 1) Improving strategic planning by clarifying the goals/objectives of the JUNTOS project to the leadership, participants and funding sources; 2) Promoting the most efficient use of resources by evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of JUNTOS activities; and 3) Providing feedback and recommendations to improve activities.

JUNTOS 2015 will continue these efforts to evaluate the program’s effectiveness and its ability to reach project goals. Pre- and post-tests will continue to be used to gauge the increase in correct knowledge about HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual health, leadership, and other topics that are covered at the Training of Trainers (ToTs) and Workshops. This year, the performance management program’s targets will be modified to reflect new priorities. At the end of 2015, collected data will be analyzed, a scorecard created, and recommendations on how to enhance the following year’s project will be included in the final PAS Report.

Please refer to TABLE 5 below for JUNTOS 2015’s key indicators and target.


TABLE 4 – 2014 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT INDICATORS AND TARGETS FOR MONITORING AND EVALUATION

ObjectiveIndicatorInstrument for Measurement

Baseline Target

JUNTOS Project Goal 1: Development of a strong knowledge base and a promotion of health attitudes and behaviors concerning equality of gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and leadership and

communication among Mozambican youth.

ID1.1 - Increased participation in JUNTOS youth groups to develop a strong knowledge base, skills, and healthy attitudes and behaviors related to gender roles, violence, leadership, conflict resolution, self-esteem, goal setting communication, sexual health, and HIV among Mozambican youth.

Group Participation Overall attendance reports provided by PCV and/or Counterpart (CP)

100 active groups

ID1.2 - Increased participation in JUNTOS youth groups to develop a strong knowledge base, skills, and healthy attitudes and behaviors related to gender roles, violence, leadership, malaria prevention, conflict resolution, self-esteem, goal setting communication, sexual health, and HIV among Mozambican youth.

Number of JUNTOS Members

Overall attendance reports provided by PCV and/or Counterpart.

1200 active JUNTOS members

ID1.3 - Development of skills related to gender roles, violence, leadership, malaria prevention, conflict resolution, self-esteem, goal setting communication, sexual health, and HIV among JUNTOS participants.

Development of JUNTOS-promoted skills

Evaluation of JUNTOS members at the beginning and end of the year by PCV and/or Counterpart

80% of JUNTOS participants develop JUNTOS-promoted skills

ID1.4 - Adoption of healthy attitudes and behaviors related to communication, self-confidence, malaria prevention, conflict resolution, goal setting, gender roles, sexual health, and violence by JUNTOS participants.

Adoption of JUNTOS-promoted attitudes and behaviors

An anonymous survey of behaviors practiced by JUNTOS members

70% of JUNTOS participants surveyed adopt the JUNTOS-promoted attitudes and behaviors

ID1.5 - Increased participation in JUNTOS Workshops to develop a strong knowledge base, skills, and healthy attitudes and behaviors related to gender roles, violence, leadership, malaria prevention, conflict resolution, self-esteem, communication, sexual health, and HIV amongst Mozambican youth.

Workshop Participation

Overall attendance reports provided by PCV and/or Counterpart

500 total youth participants at Workshops (5 participants from 100 groups)

ID1.6 - Development of a knowledge base related to gender roles, violence, leadership, malaria prevention, conflict resolution, self-esteem, communication, sexual health, and HIV.

Mastery of Workshop Material

Pre-test/post-test provided by Workshop leaders

75% of JUNTOS workshop participants surveyed show mastery of JUNTOS promoted material

ID1.7 - Increased number of JUNTOS Workshop participants taking HIV test and receiving consultation.

HIV Testing at Workshops

Reports provided by Health Technicians.

100 participants receive HIV testing

TABLE 4 – 2014 PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT INDICATORS AND TARGETS FOR MONITORING AND EVALUATION ( CONTINUED )



Baseline Target

JUNTOS Project Goal #2: Training of Mozambican role models to guide youth in

the exploration of cultural gender norms and selection of healthier behaviors.

ID2.1 - Increase in Mozambican role models trained to lead youth explore topics related to gender roles, violence, leadership, malaria prevention, conflict resolution, self-esteem, communication, sexual health, and HIV.

Training Seminar Participation

Overall attendance reports provided by PCV and/or Counterpart (CP)

140 participants involved in Training Seminars (includes CPs and PCVs).


Baseline Target

JUNTOS Project Goal #3: Using communication skills to design

and execute community-based projects to share knowledge of healthy

behavior.

ID3.1 - Execution of community-based projects to share knowledge of JUNTOS promoted attitudes and behaviors.

Community-Based Project Participation

Community-based Project Evaluation Reports provided by PCV or Counterpart

70 JUNTOS groups (or 70% of active groups) produce at least one community event

ID3.2 - Increase in knowledge of JUNTOS promoted attitudes and behaviors within the community.

Transfer of Knowledge to Community Members

Pre-/post-community survey before/after community project is produced.

70% of community members exhibit an increase in knowledge of JUNTOS promoted attitudes and behaviors after being exposed to a community project

ID3.3 - Participation in JUNTOS group-led community events.

Community-Based Project Attendance Survey

Group survey of event attendance

1500 community members attended a JUNTOS community event in their respective regions.


PAS JUNTOS PROPOSAL 2015

Documents

Transcript of PAS JUNTOS PROPOSAL 2015