Project News

Community Based Adherence Counselor Trainings funded by UNICEF Zambia were carried out in Chongwe and Mumbwa Districts during 14 July and 1 August (The 1st training: 14-18 July and the 2nd training: 28 July – 1 August). A total of 100 community people were trained in these courses. After the completion of the training course, these trainees are expected to support the clients in respective community and follow up the defaulters since ART is mandatory to keep high adherence in use of the drugs.
Our project members were invited to attend the closing ceremony at two districts.
Some interesting and characteristic differences of trainees between two districts have been found. In Chongwe, for example, the trainees were quieter and the ceremony went in friendly mood, while in Mumbwa the trainees got excited with joy. Sketches, which were the outputs of the trainings, were played by the trainees and some of them were dancing when the bicycles were delivered.
The project already implemented Facility Based Adherence Counselor Training for the staff of the rural centers. So from now on, there will be enough collaboration between “Facility Based Adherence Counselor” and “Community Based Adherence Counselor” in order to maintain sufficient care for the PLWHAs in the rural setting. In addition to this, the trainees who completed “Community Based Adherence Counselor Training” volunteer their service to counsel the clients.
We hope that the long-lasting care to the clients will be continued by these counselors’ endeavor.
Thanks to both World Bicycle Relief Organization for the donation of 100 bicycles and UNICEF for the funding for the trainings, these counselors have obtained soft and hardware to help the clients.

Photo on the left side: Chongwe District/ Trainees and bicycles
Photo on the right side: Mumbwa District/ Dancing trainees