Mbn hiv/aids evaluation final report Team of consultants

4.4.1.2. Counterparts meet the needs of the target groups, including PLWHA and households affected by HIV/AIDS and taking into account gender differences.

An important feature of HIV/AIDS mainstreaming is the fact that generalist organisations take into account the needs of their constituencies and respond with appropriate actions. This has been analysed to assess this judgement criterion.

Table 29: Overview of needs assessments conducted by generalist organisations

	Needs assessment of target groups and surveys
Integrated AIDS Work
SWEAT	- Via informal stories through outreach work - Through meetings with Sisonké (movement of commercial sex workers) - Surveys on the situation of CSW
The Black Sash	- Not existent - Participatory research on the link between HIV/AIDS and social grants
Project Conflict Resolution and Development	- Household and community surveys that include questions on HIV/AIDS - School survey (including problems such as rape and sexual harassment)
Southern Cape Land Committee	No info (visited in phase 1)
Jekesa Pfungwa	Annual needs assessments and occasional surveys
Mulanje hospital	A HIV/AIDS analysis was done by the previous medical director to see the impact HIV/AIDS was having on the hospitals capacity building programme.
ASHA	No systematic needs assessment but ASHA keeps records on HIV/AIDS incidence to stay informed on the trends in the slums they work
INSA	No information gathered during the evaluation mission
Mainstreaming
JOPM (BERDO)	- BERDO: - needs assessment of the households, conducted by BERDO in 2001 - regular surveys conducted by BERDO, in collaboration with the district hospital - Application of the models developed by JOPM to their own programme (analysis of coping mechanisms of households)
NISAA	No specific HIV/AIDS analysis of target groups or needs assessment
Small enterprise Foundation	- Pilot project: action research - Impact assessment including 4 intervention villages and 4 control villages, based on a baseline survey (quantitative and qualitative data)
NESA	- No information on baseline or surveys related to HIV/AIDS - As a network, NESA is responsive to needs expressed by their members
APSA	Research project including risk analysis of the way street children are exposed to HIV transmission

Remark: survey=contextual study or situation analysis including some general facts and figures; baseline = systematic collection of data related to indicators (quantitative and qualitative) with specific facts and figure that can be used for evaluations and impact assessment.
The driving force behind the mainstreaming efforts was, in the first place, the confrontation of staff of the organisations with the realities of HIV/AIDS in their daily practice. More than one third of the organisations (5) did conduct surveys (SWEAT, PCRD, Jekesa Pfungwa, ASHA, BERDO) to become well informed on the way HIV/AIDS affected their constituencies but hardly any baselines studies have been set up (except SEF). No needs assessments specifically related to HIV/AIDS have been organised (except BERDO in 2001). A difference can be seen between the counterparts that integrated HIV/AIDS activities and the counterparts that modified their core programme. The latter are involved in research or pilot projects in which the needs of their constituencies is an important part of the research and/or in which beneficiaries participate in the development of new methodologies and approaches (JOPM, BERDO, SEF, APSA). The evaluators conclude that through these efforts the generalist counterparts correspond to the needs of their constituencies and that especially the counterparts that have modified their programmes have made their activities more accessible and relevant for their beneficiaries.