SAHARA UPDATE PRESENTATION TO CONTINENTAL ADVISORY BOARD SAHARA UPDATE PRESENTATION TO CONTINENTAL ADVISORY BOARD

Nancy (Refilwe) Phaswana-Mafuya (PhD)

Director,SAHARA

Nancy (Refilwe) Phaswana-Mafuya (PhD)

Director,SAHARA

• Key SAHARA Objectives

• Core Research Priorities

• Achievements

• Main Challenge: Funding/Current Fundraising Model

• Proposed new Fundraising Model for SAHARA

• Future Plans

• Acknowledgements

• The end

1. Establish and facilitate research networks, partnerships and alliances

2. Strengthen SAHARA core office human resource capacity

3. Strengthen SAHARA strategic direction

4. Convene 2009 SAHARA Conference

5. Publish SAHARA journal and distribute copies to regions

6. Widely disseminate evidence-based information and best practices

7. Strengthen SAHARA Information systems

8. Build and sustain capacity in SSA for high quality research, analysis and intervention on the social aspects of HIV/AIDS

9. Generate scientific material (i.e. implement research) on identified research priorities outlined in the 2008-2010 strategic plan

• OVC interventions and care

• Stigma and disclosure, particularly among pregnant women

• Gender violence and HIV risk reduction

• Alcohol and HIV risk reduction

• Barriers and readiness for male circumcision

• Culture and AIDS

• Social Aspects of HIV vaccines

• Multiple Concurrent Sexual Partners (2008 CAB Recommendation)

• HIV Testing & Counseling (HTC)

• Prevention Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT)

Fresh Commitment to SAHARA by HSRCFresh Commitment to SAHARA by HSRC

• Immediate replacement of former Director

• Allocation of staff

• Budget allocation

• Infrastructural Support

• Joint proposal writing

Strengthened Human Resource Capacity Strengthened Human Resource Capacity

PhD Trainees: Mercy Banyini, SAHARA JMr Seth Mkhonto, website updateMaster’s Trainee: Mr John Masekoameng, wef 01/01/2010

Research Trainees

Administration: Edgar Joshua: Financial ManagerThandiwe Mgengo: Temp Personal AssistantNolonwabo Mhlanga: Personal Assistant, wef 01/01/2010Miliswa Kota: Office Administrator, wef 01/01/2010

Administration staff

CRS: Dr Njeri Wabiri, East/Central Africa LiaisonSRM: Mr Adlai Davids, West Africa Liaison RS: Dr Cily Tabane, Southern Africa LiaisonSAHARA J Editor: To be appointed, position advertis ed

Senior staff members

Prof Refilwe Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya, wef 01 Oct 09Director

Strengthened Strategic Direction Strengthened Strategic Direction

• SAHARA Strategic Framework 2008-2010• SAHARA Research Strategy• SAHARA Information Dissemination Strategy• Energizing and strengthening SAHARA’s networks, partnerships and alliances

SAHARA’s Strategic Management Process

EnvironmentalAnalysis

EstablishingOrganizational

Direction

FormulatingOrganizational

Strategies

ImplementingOrganizational

Strategies

UndertakingStrategic Control

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

KnowledgeProduction

InformationDissemination

EnablingManagementEnvironment

CapacityBuilding

Networking

Social-economic, Cultural and Ethical

IssuesQuality Issues International

Issues

Interaction with Regions Interaction with Regions • Senior Management Team meeting: 2 July 2008

• Senior Management Team meeting: 21 Nov 2008

• East/Central Africa RAB: 30 Nov 09

• Southern Africa RAB: 30 Nov 09

• SAHARA Lekgotla: September 2008

• Appointment of National Focal Points

SAHARA Conference 2009SAHARA Conference 2009

• Thanks to Prof Geoffrey Setswe, Conference Convener, for sterling work in arranging the conference

• Sponsors HSRC, CDC, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UNDP, UNFPA and UNAIDS

• Nationally and Internationally recognized HIV/AIDS Experts

• Comprehensive list of network members - 320 delegates

• High quality papers, posters, skills development workshops & round tables

SAHARA J and websiteSAHARA J and website

• Production of SAHARA J has continued on a quarterly basis (3 issues)

• Copies have been sent to regional offices

• IBSS and ISI indexed

• Sociological and Political Science Abstracts

• Full text links from PubMed

• Online Directory of Open Access Journals

• Appointment of new editor in progress (budgeted for)

• Regular updates and maintenance of the SAHARA website

SAHARA Exhibitions and Paper PresentationsSAHARA Exhibitions and Paper Presentations

• XVIIth International AIDS Conference held in Mexico City, 3rd – 8th August 2008 and institutions, attracts 22 000 delegates from all over the world

• The 4th South African AIDS Conference – Durban 31st – 4th April 2009

• The 5th IAS HIV Pathogenesis , Treatment and Prevention Conference held in Cape Town 19th – 22nd July 2009, attracts about 5,000 delegates from all over the world

• The 9th AIDS Impact conference which took place in Botswana fromthe 22nd – 25th September 2009

• In addition, papers were presented in all above-mentioned conferences

Completed Project: SAHARA/WHO Research PartnershipCompleted Project: SAHARA/WHO Research Partnership

• Output • Monograph on acceleration of HIV prevention in the African Region:

Towards an operations Research agenda for the scale up of effective interventions

• Contribution to Policy• Prof Geoffrey Setswe presented Report at the WHO-AFRO Expert

Meeting on HIV prevention on 28 – 29 April 2009

• Dissemination • Prof Geoffrey Setswe gave a PDM2009 Broadcast Lecture on 13 June

2009

• Prof Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya gave a keynote address at the Rwanda HIV Prevention Conference, 1-2 Oct 09

• Prof Geoffrey Setswe facilitated workshop at the SAHARA 2009 Conference on Implementing behavioural HIV prevention interventions

Completed Project: SADC PMTCT/HTC ProjectCompleted Project: SADC PMTCT/HTC Project

• Outputs

• Setswe, G., Wabiri, N., Seager, J. & Peltzer, K. (2009). The development of harmonized minimum standards for guidance on HIV testing and counseling (HTC) in the SADC region: assessment report on HTC policy reviews.

• Peltzer, K., Wabiri, N., Seager, J. & Setswe, G. (2009). Regional minimum standards for guidance on prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) in the SADC region.

• Setswe, G., Wabiri, N., Seager, J. & Peltzer, K. (2009). Regional minimum standards for guidance on HIV testing and counseling (HTC) in the SADC region.

• Contribution to Policy

• Conducted SADC Consensus Building Workshop on PMTCT/HTC minimum standards 25th-27th May 2009 in Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

• Presented findings to SADC AIDS Authorities in Kinshasa, DRC, 14-16 October 09

• In November 2009, the PMTCT and HTC minimum standards were approved by the joint Ministers of Health and Ministersresponsible for HIV/AIDS

Ongoing project: Risky behaviours associated with blood borne STIs among male ex-offenders in South Africa,

Ivory Coast, France and Canada

Ongoing project: Risky behaviours associated with blood borne STIs among male ex-offenders in South Africa,

Ivory Coast, France and Canada

Outputs• Report on recommendations to community organizations working with ex-

offenders on how to best intervene with at-risk groups in the prevention of HIV and other blood borne STIs.

• Report on the findings regarding the knowledge of the interaction between cultural and sub-cultural factors and motivational and cognitive factors maintaining or discouraging these at-risk behaviours

Contribution to Policy• To present a report on the research findings to the Department of

Correctional Services, Department of Health and Department of Social Development in South Africa

Dissemination• Presented the research findings to partners in Canada, France, Ivory

Coast, South Africa at a conference organized by the Canadian partners in Ivory Coast, 15 -19 February 2010

• Present research findings to partners in South Africa at workshops organized by the HSRC, April 2010

New Project: KAPB Survey in Zambia/ South AfricaNew Project: KAPB Survey in Zambia/ South Africa

• Regional Baseline Survey

• To establish Children’s KAPB in Relation to Sexuality and Gender, Access to Sexuality and HIV Information and Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Zambia and South Africa

• Funded by Save the Children, Sweden in Nov 09

• Contribution

• Regional programme on children’s rights in Southern Africa for HIV impact mitigation and prevention measures

• Effective national child protection systems

Multiple Concurrent Sexual PartnershipsMultiple Concurrent Sexual Partnerships

• Expression of Interest submitted to the National AIDS Coordinating Agency

• Objective: to assess the specific dimensions of MCSP such as the social and cultural drivers and the various sources of vulnerability in household, family, and community settings in Botswana (Nov 09)

• Proposal submitted to conduct Lesotho follow up survey on MCSP among Basotho men: Results of exposure to a multi level media campaign (Nov 09)

• MCP Roundtable at the SAHARA conference

Orphans and Vulnerable ChildrenOrphans and Vulnerable Children

The following proposals have been submitted:

• Identifying the Determinants of HIV Infection Among Children Aged 5-14 Years in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana: The Healthy Children Project

• The extent, nature & consequences of Child-headed Households in sub-Sahara Africa

• Evaluation of Best Practice OVC Interventions at Six Sites in Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe

• Currently SAHARA funding comes from:• Parliamentary Grant of the South African Government which is mainly

used to support SAHARA’s internal capacity to conduct its core functions

• External funding for research projects: competitive bids: tenders/ RFPs

• This type of funding model is volatile:

• prevents us from working in a number of strategic areas, e.g.

• Not being able to implement identified research priorities

• Limits our ability to build capacity

• Have not been able to fund any activities including research in other regions

• Multi-year, multi-million funding

• Form fundraising committee

• Identify relevant donors

• Approach donors in search of core support

• Hold initial discussions with donors

• Present strategic plan and budget to donors

• Get donors to pledge their support

• Sign bilateral agreements with with each donor for a 5-year period or longer

• Implement agreed upon fundraising model

• Strengthen SAHARA Strategic direction

• Implement agreed upon plan of action

• Implement CAB recommendations

• 2011 SAHARA Conference

• Prof Geoffrey Setswe for his contribution to SAHARA while Acting Director

• Dr Olive Shisana, Prof Leickness Simbayiand Dr Njeri Wabiri for their input on the presentation

• Prof John Seager for editing the presentation