TCE, Outapi, Namibia

For those of you who don’t know, allow me to briefly discuss the project Brian and I will both be working with for the next year. TCE is an HIV/AIDS education project that has been rolled out over virtually all of southern Africa. The typical TCE project runs for a total of three years. The philosophy of the project is that only the people can stop the epidemic and to that end, and what makes it unique, individuals are educated on a one to one, door to door basis and ‘mobilized’ to make behavior changes such as getting HIV tested, receiving treatment, reducing sexual partners, and using condoms. The program is organized like a military operation – there is a hierarchy of organization which allows people to be reached systematically. Field Officers are the local people who are hired and trained to go door to door educating people and communities. They are responsible for an area of 2,000 people each. They register households, educated individuals, encourage and support people to get HIV tested, help people receive and maintain treatment, organize support groups and Passionates (local volunteers who are supposed to keep activities going after the three year project is finished) and start Income Generating Projects.

The TCE project we are working at is unique. The typical three year project period finished in 2008. Upon completion a review was done and two major conclusions were reached: the door to door concept behind TCE seems to work and three years was not enough to deal with the ‘drivers of the epidemic’ such as multiple partners, sex work, intergenerational sex, alcohol use and traditional practices. The result: Namibia is the first country to roll out TCE Phase 2, funded by both the Global Fund and the CDC. TCE Omusati therefore restarted in July of last year, re-hiring old Field Officers and trying to figure out just what TCE Phase 2 means. We’re still working on it.

Brian and I arrived at a good time. We arrived at the DAPP centre in the very north of the country Thursday evening and had two days to settle in before all 54 Field Officers arrived for a week’s training session on both counseling skills and new procedures. The new procedures and training were developed specifically for the TCE program and were outlined step by step (literally, scripted) by a little organization called the CDC and looked very familiar thanks to our training back home by the wonderful Lisa and Linnea, whose seminars are funded by the very same CDC (For my IICDers out there – can we say Parking Lot?!). Two of my ‘bosses’ Josef and Kornelia had attended a training run by the CDC in Windhoek previously and were scheduled to facilitate the weeks training. Unfortunately on Tuesday Joe’s sister who also happened to be a Field Officer in the program died in the hospital. Brian and I found out Wednesday morning and had about 20 minutes to prepare. We spend the next two and a half days facilitating the majority of the training. Thankfully we had the idiot-proof training manual and neither of us are in any way afraid of teaching in front of a group. Most importantly though was the training we had just happened to have done in Albany – some of the material was exactly what we had worked on with Lisa and Linnea and so Brian and I were able to take the training material and run with it – improving it in fact, if I may say so myself.

Training week was exhausting but good. I still have no idea what anybody’s name is but after one week staring at the 60 faces I can at least recognize them and they are comfortable with us which will save us all a lot of time in the long run. We didn’t get to finish the training and so will continue to plug away at it during our bi-monthly Troop Meetings.

Brian and I have received our specific assignments as well. For the next year Brian will work with statistics as well as act as Patrol Leader for Patrol 5. This means that he will have 11 Field Officers for whom he is directly responsible – problem solving, monitoring and supporting in the field. I will be responsible for developing the existing Support Groups. Support groups are exactly what they sound like – places for people to come together to support each other around the issue of HIV/AIDS. Each support group is different but can include activities such as having gardens, sing-a-longs, information sessions, or income generating projects. There are currently between 43-45 support groups throughout the Omusati region which I have to somehow organize, become familiar with, identify where to start, and then, well, start. I am also Patrol Leader for Patrol 3, although I think this is more in name only.

I suppose all that’s left to do is to briefly introduce my new colleagues. Humana/DAPP is very big on titles but I don’t know them so too bad. Josef is the Project Leader. He is passionate, motivated, and capable. More unusual, he is able to think quickly, multi-task, is open to our input and suggestions, and insists that everyone is on time. It’s all very promising and I think we will have every chance to make a difference this year one way or another. Kornelia seems to be just under Josef. She has named herself my ‘sister-in-law’. She’s lovely although I don’t think I’d like to be on her bad side. Then there are Beatus, Hilja, Elise, Selma and Fenny who are all in their 20s (except maybe Beatus). In general I must say everybody seems to be motivated and capable and I feel lucky for that. Many projects cannot say the same. For now, Brian and I are off to a slow start work-wise but I am trying to be patient and trust that we find our place shortly.