Male Sexual and Reproductive Health Project (Archived)

The Male Sexual and Reproductive Health Project is aimed at encouraging and supporting the growth of a social movement around HIV/AIDS through the promotion of male involvement in sexual and reproductive health issues. The project is implemented in three districts, Umkhanyakude in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Ehlanzeni in Mpumalanga, and Odi (Winterveldt sub-district) in North West Province.

Community Based Organisations implement interventions, which are aimed at mobilising males to be involved in the fight against the epidemic. The principle of making CBOs accountable to local structures is an important one in that it promotes ownership of the project and local decision-making

Overall findings of the formative research and baseline survey have highlighted the impact of cultural issues on the spread of HIV/AIDS. These results have been used to inform the development of the training guide, interventions and health promotion materials.

The following interventions have been implemented:

• Workshops and campaigns to promote on-going dialogue amongst males on SRH, STIs and HIV/AIDS in the formal sectors (schools, churches, regular community meetings, sports clubs etc) and the informal sector (stokvels, burial societies taverns).
• Establishing and or strengthening discussion/peer support groups for:
  • Men, youth, parents/partners
  • Voluntary Counselling and Testing (campaigns)
  • Promotion and distribution of condoms
  • Distribution of HIV/AIDS and SRH educational material
  • Securing leadership support
  • Radio talks on HIV/AIDS
  • Networking with other organisations at local, regional and national levels.

Training of CBOs and Volunteers

One week training workshops on HIV/AIDS and STIs were conducted for the CBOs and male volunteers on sexual and reproductive health issues. This was done through a training guide compiled and designed by HST, which was adopted from various training manuals. The purpose of these workshops was to build capacity in the male volunteers on knowledge, communication and understanding of gender and SRH issues. The workshops covered the modules on Sex & Gender, the Language of Sex, Gender Based Violence, Analysis of Sexual and Reproductive Health problems, and Voluntary Testing and Counselling. The participants, through participatory approaches, were able to relate the training to their own social and cultural backgrounds, and also developed locally used and socially acceptable sexual terms.