First year of operation
Our accomplishments
Mpilonhle completed one year of providing services to the community on 30 September 2008 – having rolled out its mobile Health and Education Units on 1 October 2007. From the initial mobile unit funded by Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project (CTOAP) and the
Oprah’s Angel Network (OAN), Mpilonhle now has three mobile units in operation – with two units funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) beginning operation on
1 August 2008.
Mpilonhle is now serving 12 schools and 30 community sites throughout the Umkhanyakude District in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The schools have a total enrollment of 8800 students. This innovative program brings services directly to students in schools – services that students desperately need to improve their health, prevent themselves from getting HIV, and improve their chances of success in the new South Africa.
Despite being a complex integrated program, Mpilonhle was able to provide an effective and broad array of services during its first year in operation, and has received many votes of confidence from learners and staff at the schools it serves.
Principal JJ Xulu of Nkosana High School wrote on 28 August 2008,
“I appreciate everything that you are doing for the school. I can feel your presence and I am prepared to continue joining hands with you for the benefit of the blessed souls”.
Mbongeni High School, one of the schools where services started in 2008, was featured in the school newsletter.
Services provided during the initial year of operation include:
Health and HIV Education
6040 secondary school students received at least one 90-minute small-group health education session during the first year of operation, with 4736 learners receiving more than one session. These sessions use an interactive format to provide much-needed information on how to lead a healthy life, including how to prevent HIV infection or live with HIV if already infected. Developed in collaboration with Mpilonhle’s partner Educational Development Center and based on the Life Skills curriculum that has been developed by Department of Education, the education sessions also focus on improving gender relationships, decreasing domestic violence, and reducing stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS.
There are two separate curriculums – one for students in the 8th and 9th grades, and the other for students in the 10th through 12th grades. The curriculum comprises four separate 90-minute sessions, and during the 2nd year of Mpilonhle operation, when all three units are in operation the entire school year, students will receive the entire four-session curriculum.
In addition to learners, 1483 community members participated in 90-180 minute health education sessions.
Computer Education
Students attended 7674 computer education sessions each lasting 90 minutes. In addition, 526 community members attended computer education.
The computer education program focuses on learning the basics of computers – how the keyboard and the mouse work, the use of basic applications - word processing, data base and presentations, and the how to surf a virtual web that is on the Mpilonhle local area network.
Students who attend all four computer education sessions will get a certificate of their training.
To get a better idea of the Mpilonhle computer program click here.
Testing for HIV
Mpilonhle counselors tested 4,288 persons for HIV during the first year of Mpilonhle's operation. This includes 3586 learners in schools, and 702 persons in the community.
The uptake rate of voluntary counseling and testing in schools – 72% of learners offered testing agreed to be tested – reflects the ability of Mpilonhle counselors to relate to the students, and the students awareness – in part because of the Mpilonhle education program – of the need for HIV testing.
Of the 3586 learners who tested for HIV, 104 (2.9%) were infected. All students with HIV are offered CD4 testing and those requiring HIV testing because of a low CD count or because are linked by Mpilonhle nurses with ART programs in the area.
Of the 702 community members who tested 186 (26%) were infected. Mpilonhle provides all community members who test positive counseling on how to deal with this problem, and information on how to be assessed and provided with antiretroviral therapy if required.
Nursing Services
All three Mpilonhle mobile units have a primary health care nurse. In addition to providing diagnoses, treatment and referral for medical problems, the nurse provides confirmatory testing for HIV, counseling for those who are positive, and obtains blood for CD4 counts. The nurse also provides follow-up for those who are HIV infected.
During the first year of operation Mpilonhle nurses provided 3565 school learners and 1364 community members with clinical services.
Social Work Services
The Mpilonhle social worker, assisted by an intern psychologist, provides social services to learners who need them. This includes assistance and referral for students who are the subject of sexual or other physical abuse, counseling for those with social, emotional or psychological problems, assistance with obtaining state grants for those who are eligible, and developing support groups for those who are infected with HIV
To date the social services staff has provided 947 school learners and 58 community members with psychosocial support.
Condom Distribution
Practicing safe sex is not an option if condoms are not available. To help promote safe sex for those who are sexually active, Mpilonhle provides condoms to those learners who request them. In the past year Mpilonhle distributed 54,050 condoms to 1081 learners and 68,200 condoms to 1364 community members
Food Distribution
With support from Oprah’s Angels Network, Mpilonhle is providing food to 40 orphan-headed households that are not eligible for government assistance because the orphan, though a student, is older than 18 years of age. The packages that Mpilonhle provides allow for the food requirements, and sanitary needs, for a family of seven persons.
Training
Mpilonhle is committed to providing training for its staff and to the community. To that end, Mpilonhle provided weeklong training three times during its first year of operation to xxxx teachers. Teachers had interactive sessions with Mpilonhle trainers on understanding hot to prevent HIV, providing support to learners with HIV or other health problems, how to deal with HIV-related stigma, how to support orphans, and understanding the problem of gender-related violence and abuse. All Mpilonhle staff also at least three-weeks of training before starting in their position to orient them to the culture and objectives of Mpilonhle, and the skills required to carry out their job.