Mbn hiv/aids evaluation final report Team of consultants

5.4. Conclusions on the performance of generalist development organisations (EQ 4)

To what extent did the counterparts (generalist organisations) cope with HIV/AIDS?
Modification of programmes

The evaluators have visited 19 generalist organisations of which 5 had developed specific AIDS work and had become HIV/AIDS specific organisations, 9 organisations did integrate HIV/AIDS activities into their core business and 5 organisations are in a process of modifying their core business (mainstreaming). The latter are good examples of external mainstreaming practice. The difference between counterparts that integrated HIV/AIDS activities and those that modified their core programme (external mainstreaming) is that the latter are involved in research or pilot projects in which the needs of their constituencies are an important part of the research and/or in which beneficiaries participate in the development of new methodologies and approaches (for example JOPM, Berdo, SEF, Apsa). These mainstreaming processes do not only address specific needs related to HIV/AIDS services but address also factors that cause vulnerability to HIV/AIDS of their constituencies. In this perspective the evaluators conclude that external mainstreaming is an effective approach.

The mainstreaming processes have been initiated by the counterparts themselves because it had become impossible to continue business as usual, but have been uplifted and enhanced by the interventions of the CFAs.
Programmes respond to the needs of the target groups

All generalist organisations visited have responded to the HIV/AIDS epidemic adopting or modifying their programmes to the needs of the beneficiaries. They all aim to take into account the specific needs of PLWHA and affected households, however not based on a systematic needs assessment but on daily practice. The generalist organisations were able to increase access of PLWHA to HIV/AIDS specific services and many organisations were no longer able to cope with the increasing demand for care and counselling.

Awareness raising and prevention

The main focus of the generalist organisations is on HIV/AIDS awareness building and prevention, including the rights of PLWHA, denial and discrimination. However generalist organisations are faced with tackling one after the other all dimensions of the continuum and they have prioritized on one or several elements in the fight against HIV/AIDS. These activities are an obvious extension of their current business, which is used as an entry point for such HIV/AIDS activities. A few counterparts (NISAA, Berdo, Apsa) that went through an external mainstreaming process did investigate the link between every programme component and adapted their core programme in order to challenge the vulnerability to the impact of HIV/AIDS of their constituencies.