Through SDC’s contribution, and strong partnership with the provincial Departments of Education in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) and the Eastern Cape (EC), the “Learn About Healthy Living” project started in 2001, aiming at curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS materials were introduced and tested in 1’320 schools in both provinces, defining an effective intervention within school communities and followed by training of educators in the use of those materials. Strong management and governance teams were established and equipped with skills to develop policies and strategies that would enable them to cope with the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS, particularly on care of OVC. In both phases, emphasis was placed on community participation and on responding to the communities’ prioritised needs. A wide range of community stakeholders were involved in participatory audit and needs analyses processes, putting in place strategies for meeting prioritised development needs. Through these processes, communities identified the need to reduce the negative impact of HIV/AIDS and better care for OVC was prioritised. The main objective of this phase is capacity building and support for school clusters to lead community strategies that respond to HIV/AIDS and improve care for OVC. It will involve implementing a more intensive and holistic HIV/AIDS programme that promotes self-reliant school clusters and community structures which can deal specifically with issues around HIV/AIDS.

The project in brief

Directorate/federal office responsible	SDC
Credit area	Development cooperation
Project partners	Contract partner International or foreign NGO
Budget	Current phase Swiss budget CHF    1’700’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    1’551’659
Project phases	Phase 4 01.11.2013 - 28.02.2019   (Completed) Phase 3 15.03.2012 - 31.10.2013   (Completed)

Further technical details

• Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	EDUCATION POPULATION POLICIES/PROGRAMMES & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
  Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation	Primary education STD control including HIV/AIDS Human rights
  Cross-cutting topics	The project takes account of gender equality as a cross-cutting theme. The project takes account of democratisation, good governance and human rights as cross-cutting themes. The project supports partner organisation improvements as a priority
  Type of support	Official development assistance (ODA)
  Type of collaboration	Bilateral cooperation
  Finance type	Aid grant
  Aid Type	Mandate without fiduciary fund Project and programme contribution
  Tied/untied aid	Untied aid
  Project number	7F04516