Mbn hiv/aids evaluation final report Team of consultants

4.4.2.4. Sustainability

Processes of external mainstreaming are very young, what makes it difficult to assess the sustainability of these mainstreaming efforts. However, the evaluators identified some factors that will contribute to an increased sustainability of the HIV/AIDS mainstreaming into the generalist organisations:

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  The evaluators observed good ownership among staff and organisations regarding the integration of HIV/AIDS into their core business. Most of the mainstreaming processes have been initiated from daily practice (and are not donor driven). All staff is convinced of the need to integrate HIV/AIDS into the programmes.
  
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  Many staff have been trained and feel capable of dealing with HIV/AIDS in their daily work (most organisations also offer support and counselling to their staff).
  
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  In particular the generalist organisations that have modified their programmes did integrate HIV/AIDS in a sustained way, developing new approaches and methodologies. They did not just “add” HIV/AIDS activities. HIV/AIDS have become a full and integral part of their core business.
  

Sustainability of the HIV/AIDS mainstreaming into the generalist organisation also can be threatened:

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  There is the donor dependency among the counterparts visited. Although many of these counterparts were already reflecting a longer time on the integration of HIV/AIDS into their programmes, it was many times the additional support of the CFAs (financially and technical) that boosted the process.
  
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  Sustainability of the organisations will also depend on the quality of the HIV/AIDS workplace policy, the acknowledgment of staff of their own vulnerability and the measure taken to deal with loss of staff within the organisation, hence sustainability will depend on the HIV/AIDS competence of the organisation and its staff.
  
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  It will be important to be constantly aware of one’s own limits and to avoid an over-burdening or burn out of staff as they are often confronted with an increasing demand for HIV/AIDS related services. It will be important to take care of the staff (ex. providing counselling), something that HIV/AIDS focussed organisation are already well aware of.
  
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  The process is young and organisations are learning through practice. It is also still questionable whether counterparts will succeed in adapting developed methodologies and approaches throughout the organisation (ex. APSA, SEF).