ADRA Awarded $10 Million Abstinence-Focused Grant to Fight HIV/AIDS in Kenya and Tanzania

Silver Spring, Maryland – The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) received a grant of $10 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement a five-year, youth-focused behavior change project designed to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, specifically HIV/AIDS. The project, to be implemented in Tanzania and Kenya, will focus on the prevention methods of abstinence and behavior change for youth.

“Abstinence and behavior change for youth are key components and effective methods in the fight to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Ron Mataya, director of health at ADRA International. “This grant enables ADRA to continue our efforts to stop AIDS from destroying lives,” Mataya continued.

The project will reach one million youth and young adults, ages 10-24, through activities where messages about abstinence, fidelity, and partner reduction will be disseminated by local trainers. The trained trainers will be representatives of more than 40 local faith-based and community-based organizations and the Ministry of Health for both Tanzania and Kenya.

Parents of those in the target group will be trained to communicate clearly and effectively about the important issues affecting youth, including sexuality and safe choices. An additional five million youth and young adults will be targeted with messages about abstinence through broadcast media.

According to USAID, in many of the countries hardest hit by HIV/AIDS, sexual activity begins early and prior to marriage. Abstinence-focused until marriage programs are particularly important for young people, as fully half of all new infections occur in the 15 to 24-year-old age group.

The project is part of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Through Abstinence and Healthy Choices for Youth being implemented by USAID.

ADRA is present in more than 120 countries providing individual and community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, or ethnicity