ACT was one of the pioneers of work place programmes. The aim is to sensitize workplaces on the facts about HIV and the impact that the epidemic has on the Namibian workforce and economy at large. ACT assists companies to develop and implement HIV policies. Programmes are custom designed to suit the company's set up. For more information please contact the AIDS Care Trust offices.

1999:

• Implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention programme in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication with the objective to train 2000 road workers (high risk group). ACT seconded a staff member to form a health team together with a staff member of the Ministry. SIDA (Swedish Development Agency) provided the funds for the programme

·     Presentations to commercial farmers (4500 commercial farms in Namibia as a total) about HIV/AIDS and the impact on economy and the farm environment. Since 1999 app. 15 Presentations were hold to farmer association meetings (reaching app. 300 farmers) in the different regions around Windhoek. As a result, ACT was invited to various farms to educate the farm workers. This project has evolved into a major activity, giving ACT the opportunity to reach where people have little or no access to information.

·     In co-operation with NATAU (Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union), ACT is actively involved in running HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns for the truck-drivers

2000:

·     Continuation of training of the 2000 road workers (peer education), project ends in August 2000.

·     Since May 2000, ACT is assisting NamWater (900 employees) with the implementation of HIV/AIDS peer education programme.

·    ACT was commissioned by a Namibian engineering consultant company to develop a project proposal for a HIV/AIDS training component for 5 labour based projects (road construction) in the Northern Directorates. The agency funding the road works has requested to include the component.

Representations / Conferences / International Contacts:

2000: 

·         Presentation at an international conference in Windhoek about HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Topic: “Successfully implementing a peer education programme in the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication”

·         Presentation at the annual meeting of Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU) to about the “Impact of HIV/AIDS on economy and farm management in the commercial and communal sector”.

·         International conference in Paris about the “Economic impact of HIV/AIDS in Namibia and the experience of ACT in peer education”

·         Presentation to the “German Group of Development Consultants” about “HIV/AIDS and the impact on economy and the implementation of peer education programmes”. Representatives of the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation, Development Agencies and German Business Leaders (Bosch, BMW etc.) investing in South Africa were present.  

2001: 

·         Start of cooperation with NamPower (900 employees), training peer educators as well as assisting in the supervision of peer education programme.

·         Conducting a series of workshops for Namlife employees in their respective branches throughout Namibia

·         Training of staff of Namibia Dairies (situated in Khomas region)

·         Training of UN staff

·         Training of Peace Corps staff

·         Training of British Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) staff

·         Invitation for presentations to:

·         Top Management of Meatco (1 500 employees) about the economic and legal implication of HIV/AIDS

·         BP employees about economic aspects of HIV/AIDS to senior management and staff members

·         HR Managers of Ohltaver List Group about the economic impact of HIV/AIDS and how to design a HIV/AIDS intervention programme 

Representations / Conferences / International Contacts: 

2001:

·        Presentation about ACT’s involvement in the private sector at a workshop in Bonn, Germany organized by GTZ and DSE.

2002:

 Long-term partnerships terminated:

·         NamWater (2 years),

·         Nampower  (1 year),

 Long-term partnerships, started:

·         Commencement of 1 year partnership with Hartlief (app. 200 employees),

·         Commencement of 1 year partnership with Barloworld (360 employees)

·         Ongoing coo-operation with Unions

 Long-term partnership:

·         Project Hope to provide Technical Assistance in establishing the project in co-operation with the Ministry of Labour

 Provision of workplace trainings:

·         Series of training sessions for peer educators of Standard Bank (970 employees)

·         Series of training sessions for peer educators of Bank Windhoek (900 employees)

·         Training of peer educators in National Housing Enterprise

·         Training of various medium and small enterprises, schools and community based organizations 

Forwarding project proposal to:

·         Telecom

·         Scorpion Zink

·         NovaNam

·         Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, Department Works (app 3000 employees)

Presentations:

·         Presentation to Partnership Forum with representatives of Permanent Secretaries, Embassies, UN agencies and donors on the services ACT could provide in terms of workplace programs to members of the Forum

·         Presentation and training of TOT to NACSO (represent 14 NGOs in the environmental sector) to assist with the implementation of a HIV/AIDS program

·         Presentation to managers and training of peer educators to members companies of Walvisbay Corridor Group on the implementation of HIV/AIDS Help Desk / Implementation of a HIV/AIDS program to assigned companies 

Representations / Conferences / International Contacts:

 2002:

·        Presentation of ACT’s activities at a SADC meeting in Pretoria on the involvement of small and medium sized companies, topic: “Cost effective response of  NGOs to the private sector”, organized by the German Carl Duisberg Gesellschaft (CDG) 

·         Numerous national and international delegations visited ACT since beginning 2000 to receive information about the workplace involvement.

·         ACT has been represented in the Global AIDS Fund on the “workplace subcommittee”

 2003

Long-term:

·         Continuation with Barloworld

·         Continuation with Hartlief

·         Agreement with Walvis Bay Corridor Group to establish HIV/AIDS Help Desk and implement HIV/AIDS program, project start: February 17, 2003

·         Attending a planning workshop with NACSO

·         Co-operation with the Unions (NATAU)

Provision of workplace trainings:

·         Africa-online (24 employees) 

Follow up:

·         Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication

·         Scorpion Zink

·         Telecom 

Requests from:

·         SWACO Industries Namibia (64 employees)

·         Bank of Windhoek for long-term assistance

Representations / Conferences / International Contacts: 

Representations 2003: 

·         National Executive Committee of NaNaSo (umbrella body of all NGOs working in the field of HIV/AIDS)

·         Task Force of the Multi Media Campaign

·         RACOC

·         ACT represented at the Regional Meeting on Behaviour Change Communications held in Kampala, Uganda, in November 

2004:

Workplace Trainings:

·         Kalahari Sands Hotel and Casino

·         Orientation Session for NACSO Peer Educators

·         Follow-up Peer Education trainings with WBCG

·         WBCG Trainings in the regions (Walvis Bay, Luderitz and Grootfontein)

·         UN Partnership Forum Peer Education Training

·         Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication in Otjiwarongo, Keetmanshoop and Windhoek trained in Home Based Care 

Representations / Conferences / International Contacts:

2004:

·         ACT represented at the HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy Development workshop facilitated by SafAIDS Zimbabwe

·         HIV/AIDS Workplace Prevention Workshop facilitated by FHI

·         HIV/AIDS Workplace Programmes Development Workshop organized by NACOP 

Co-operation with Ministries/Organizations - Networks 

·         Shared participation in workshops with various Ministries, NGOs etc.

·         Close co-operation with the AIDS Law Unit

·         Media presentation with Catholic AIDS Action

·         Co-operation with UN agencies in the task force on the Multi Media Campaign and with UNAIDS

·         Co-operation with various Ministries such as Ministry of Health and Social Services (ACT is represented on various committees) Ministry Works, Transport

and Communication and Ministry of Labour

·         International exchange of concepts on “Prevention Programmes in Workplaces”, especially with South African Companies as well as with the International Labor Organization (ILO) 

·         Provision of Workplace peer education programme 2005 

• Series of peer education training session provided to Windhoek Vocation Training Centre  39 students trained as peer educators

Provided peer education training to Small and medium enterprises as follow:

1. Beauty and hair saloon based Katutura, Windhoek
2. Commodity Exchange, Windhoek
3. CRIA, Windhoek
4. Namibia brewery, Windhoek
5. A group of Small and Medium business woman from Oshana region  
6. Meatco Okahandja, Windhoek
7. Follow- up refresher course Barloworld group of companies, Windhoek
8. Follow – up refresher course Kalahari Sands and Casino , Windhoek
9. Follow up refresher course Windhoek Vocational Training Centre

Project Hope formed a partnership agreement with ACT for four months to advice and do consultations work in the farming sector. This agreement was extended for the period of one year (January 2004 to December 2004) for joint activities within the HIV/AIDS in the workplace addressing HIV/AIDS in the Agricultural Sector and in the Ministry of Labour.  150 Peer Educator were trained in the following areas, Khomas, Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto at the end of the program.  The project was then extended to other regions by Project Hope were a lot of consultation was done to develop farming peer educator manuals with ACT; as well as training topics in Home Based Care provided at Aussennkher reaching 15 participants. 

FHI supported ACT until April 2005 with funding for workplace program. After the end of FHI agreement, ACT was sub-contracted by the Future’s group for HIV/AIDS Agricultural policy implementation and materials development for semi-literate people as well as materials dissemination with farmer sector in conjunctions with Namibia Association Farmer Worker Union (NAFWU) for four regions, starting with Erongo, Oshikoto, Hardarp and Khomas region focusing only on farms.  The first meeting addressed 23 participants from the respective farms in Swakopmund, followed by Tsumeb were 15 participants attended the session and received materials. 20 participants were trained in Okahandja, while 18 participants reached in Mariental. Participants were chosen from different farms in those respective areas by NAFWU representatives.  

The projects aim to promote a non-discriminatory working environment within the sector, recruitment and selection, testing and counseling, Screening, Confidentiality and obligation to disclose, Management of Employees living with HIV/AIDS, Promoting a safe working environment, employee benefits, workplace HIV/AIDS programmes, planning and budgeting, Interactions with ASO’s, CBOs and communities, reducing vulnerability to, and impact of, HIV and policy review.  

AIDS Care Trust allocates one counselor at the Katutura Clinics, STD’s department for seven years up to today doing Pre/Post test counseling as well as adherence counseling. ACT will continue working together with the Ministry of Health.  

• Forwarded workplace proposal to:
1. Khomas regional council (KRC)
2. City of Windhoek
3. Ministry of Health and Social Services
4. Tsumeb Municipality
5. Canyon Lodge

 Currently AIDS CARE TRUST is funded by Global Fund only and hopes to get a second donor on board soon as many project proposals was submitted already and hopes to get some response soon. 

August 2005 – ACT continued to implement workplace programs to different companies and more 250 Peer educators has been trained from four different companies.  Here are companies below with number of trained and committed Peer Educator. 

• Windhoek Vocational Training Center – 50 Peer Educator trained
• Bank Windhoek – 25 Peer educator from ten regions
• community Peer educator – 175

527 Caregivers, family members and volunteer have been trained in HBC and support for chronically ill persons. This has increased drastically as communities prefer to work with their community members rather than NGO’s.  

The number of chronically ill persons enrolled in the community for support projects has increased to 2801. The challenges facing communities/family members/ grandmothers are long way to be met.  Most people are taking Anti retro viral drugs on empty stomach because there is no food. Food security and nutrition tend to dominate many household and some clients dropped their medication because of food shortage.  

ACT has been sub-contracted by the City of Windhoek to conduct knowledge assessment survey and implement sewing and gardening project within the most vulnerable group mostly living in shark houses. The findings from the survey indicated that more education should be carried out as many community members does not have any basic knowledge on medication and general hygiene. 35 community members have been trained in community awareness program and 15 have been trained in Home Based Care and basic counseling.  During the HBC practical training, the volunteer trained have encountered many cases of re-infections because of lack of knowledge about drugs within communities.  

The gardening project which is underway with the technical support from FAO and Ministry of Agriculture is aimed to alleviate the food security issues among communities as the City of Windhoek has commit themselves to support communities through ACT for basic training and equipments. 8 people are going through one year training conducted by FAO and Ministry of agriculture supervised by ACT. 

9 community members will complete the sewing training by the end of December 2006. ACT is supervising the training with financial assistance from the City of Windhoek. All project exercise has been communicated to the regional councilor before inception. 

ACT conducted training for Okambilili project spearheaded by NABCOA and Awisa aimed to provide better affordable medical to SME’s. More that ten (10) small medium enterprises have attended awareness campaign aimed at sensitizing and educating worker on new affordable medical aid. 

Income generation activity has grown to a larger extend and now ACT is faced with a challenge to recruit a project coordinator and more counselors as the demand increases on weekly basis.

COMPANIES ON HIV/AIDS WORKPLACE PROGRAM
NAME OF WORKPLACE CLIENT		PROGRAM DATES					WORKFORCE (# employees)			# OF PEs TRAINED		# OF PEs ACTIVE
		From			Till
ACT:
1. Barloworld	September,02			present			211		15			14
2. Standard Bank	March,02						1040		53			37
3. UN Partnership Forum	July ,03			present			100		33			28
4. Namibia Engineering Corporation (NEC)	February,03			present			230		8			5
5. Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications	February,04			present			2200		59			49
7. Bank Windhoek	March,02			present			900		27			24
8. Kalahari Sands and Kasino	January,04			present			235		9			98
9. Ministry of Mines and Energy             August,04       present                                          207                                                        22
10.Walvi Bay Corridor Group	March,03			present			3000		105			100
11. Hartlief	July,02			present			170		8			6
12. Nacso	November,03			present			13		8			8
Total: