Malawi Teacher Training Activity: HIV and AIDS School Club Initiative (HASCI) Assessment Report

This 49-page report, published by Miske Witt and Associates and the American Institutes for Research for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to provide a qualitative assessment of the implementation of the HIV and AIDS School Club Initiative (HASCI)'s Mphanvu Kwa Achinyamata (Power to the Youth, or MKA) clubs in two pilot districts of Malawi to provide information for decision-making regarding implementation, progress and achievements, and possible next phases. The assessment found that the HASCI pilot schools have shown significant progress in a number of areas, and documents these key findings together with lessons learned and recommendations for each finding.

According to the report, the MKA clubs are built on the history of Malawi's AIDS-Toto (No-AIDS) clubs in primary and secondary schools, which were initiated in the 1980s. The MKA clubs were conceived as a way of reinvigorating existing anti-AIDS clubs and emphasising participation of girls and out-of-school youth, as well as orphans and other vulnerable children. The clubs meet at least once a week after school, and club members participate in activities such as case study writing of needs/situations in the community, educational activities, community action projects, outreach activities, income-generating activities, and recreation activities. They write and implement work plans as part of their community action projects and have an organised management structure that includes representation from a variety of stakeholders, including the community.

For the purposes of the study, MKA clubs were assessed in comparison to AIDS-Toto clubs. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, which were developed to assess seven components of programme effectiveness: orientation and training; learning activities; materials; monitoring and feedback; communication and community involvement; leadership; and networking.

The assessment found that the HASCI clubs' constitution ensures a degree of consistency among all clubs, and learned that guidelines for consistency and training promote implementation of the project as designed, as well as sustainability. It found that community involvement is built into the clubs, and that this is important for sustainability. This has numerous benefits for the school beyond the project. HASCI school clubs engage in a number of school-oriented activities to communicate HIV/AIDS prevention messages, including drama, singing, and poetry. They also emphasise community sensitisation activities similar to the AIDS Toto clubs; however HASCI clubs also include a focus on community outreach that goes beyond volunteerism to service learning. The study found that HASCI clubs use action plans to implement service learning activities and also monitor and follow up on them, which helps develop planning, organising, decision-making, and creative and critical thinking skills. The clubs also have zonal meetings to share experiences with other clubs, providing important linkages and resources.

From these findings, the report extrapolates a number of recommendations, the first being that future efforts to implement HIV/AIDS prevention programmes in schools should be built upon clear, formal guidelines and comprehensive training of leaders at the school level. It recommends that a strong, formal community involvement structure be built into the design of future efforts. Also, future efforts to engage pupils in the community in promoting HIV/AIDS prevention can be strengthened by including service learning. The study notes that the use of action plans in planning, monitoring, and providing follow-up support should be built into HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. In addition, means of sharing experiences such as zonal meetings and exchange visits between schools need to be provided during the implementation process to increase learning and maintain motivation. Finally, executive management committees of the clubs should investigate possible partnerships with and/or support from other agencies or organisations active in HIV/AIDS prevention, to "piggyback" on their efforts and accomplish mutual goals.

As a final general recommendation, the study encourages the Ministry of Education to scale up HASCI clubs across the country, using elements of this model as a way of reinvigorating the AIDS-Toto clubs. The report concludes that HASCI clubs are beneficial to learners, schools, and communities and provide numerous opportunities for addressing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malawi.