Haiti HIV/AIDS Awareness Project

This project closed on September 30, 2009. Please read about Counterpart's current projects in the Caribbean.

The Coca-Cola Foundation and Counterpart have been implementing a Youth AIDS Awareness Project (YAAP) in inner-city Port-au-Prince since 2007. YAAP is implemented by Counterpart in partnership with FORSEF, a Haitian NGO experienced in innovative HIV/AIDS interventions targeting youth.
 
Of all Caribbean countries, Haiti is the most affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2007, the HIV prevalence rate among adults aged 15-49 was 2.2% (CIA Factbook, 2007), ranked #22 in the world. The epidemic is fueled by structural poverty and high illiteracy rates. As an incredibly poor country, with 80% of the population living under the poverty line, Haiti faces political, economic and social instability (CIA Factbook, 2003). High internal migration rates, high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and weakened health and social services make controlling the epidemic in Haiti a challenging endeavor. 
 
The first phase of this project aimed to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission among 15- to 24-year-olds, by training 30 youth peer educators and creating 30 peer-led HIV awareness clubs that promote HIV/AIDS prevention through life skills trainings and educational entertainment ("edutainment"). More than 50,000 youths were reached by HIV/AIDS prevention activities and messages through the first stage of the program.
 
The second stage of YAAP, YAAP II, also funded by the Coca-Cola Foundation, began in November 2008. It will reach an additional 10 schools, train 40 peer educators and create 30 HIV Awareness clubs, in addition to providing ongoing support to YAAP I clubs and peer educators. YAAP II also incorporates teacher and parent HIV/AIDS awareness training. The project is expected to directly reach 4,000 youths, parents, and staff as well as indirectly reach 100,000 community members through mass communication activities.
 
The youth are trained in:

• setting up an HIV/AIDS awareness club; 
• interpersonal and public communication; 
• epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and its prevention methods; 
• life skills; and 
• concepts and application of edutainment.

In addition to targeting youth, the new phase of YAAP increases community impact by training parents and teachers on HIV/AIDS prevention as well as promoting sustainability through increased coordination with local businesses and the Haitian Ministry of Education.
 
Visit the Coca-Cola Foundation site on HIV/AIDS Awareness.
 
We also run a similar project in Jamaica. Please visit to learn more.