Profile

KEBA Africa’s engagement in Ghana began in 2004 when a partnership was established with Aid for AIDS Africa, the Ghana Social Marketing Foundation and CFAO Group of companies. Projects implementation started in November 2004 and since that time, KEBA Africa has successfully managed more than 15 projects with local and international funding from the ILO, World Bank, DFID, Ghana AIDS Commission, National AIDS Control Programme, CONCERN Universal, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, CFAO, Cadbury, SHELL among others. The main emphasis has been on HIV and STI prevention, promotion of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), HIV/AIDS treatment, care and support. Currently, KEBA Africa is implementing the community mobilization and counselling and testing (VCT) component of an HIV/AIDS intervention in Greater Accra, Western, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo region as part of the Global Fund round 8 project. The global fund was set up in 2002 as an independent financial instrument to augment funding of country programmes for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in developing countries. For this project, KEBA Africa is equipping selected CBOs with the skills to implement community mobilization activities at the district level. KEBA Africa supervised these CBOs to further train volunteers to implement interpersonal communication activities. Specifically KEBA Africa has been tasked with the objectives among other things to help reduce new HIV infections, ensure healthy sexual lifestyles, promote the uptake of counselling and testing and engage people to show accepting attitudes towards persons living with with HIV/AIDS. The project is being implemented at the district level in close collaboration with GSMF International, District Directors of Health Services, HIV/AIDS Focal Persons and District Assemblies.

KEBA Africa is also the lead consultant in the development and implementation of Accra Polytechnic and Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning HIV/AIDS workplace policies. The HIV/AIDS workplace policy is intended to guide and/or provide explanations for internal decisions as well as legitimise actions taken in the process of HIV control and prevention both at the ministry of Finance and economic Planning and Accra Polytechnic respectively. The HIV/AIDS workplace policy is also intended to be developed so as to mitigate the impact of HIV in the workplace prevent unfair discrimination at work on the basis of employees HIV status and encourage people living with HIV to be open about their HIV status without fear. Further it finds ways of managing HIV in the workplace thus enabling the workforce to plan for staff absences. The HIV/AIDS Workplace policy also ensures a balance between the rights of employees and employer and offers a framework for consistency of practice within the organisation.

KEBA Africa is also working with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on its global workplace programme dubbed ILO Global Fund Project. The project is being undertaken in five regions of Ghana namely Greater Accra, Central, Western, Eastern, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Region. The overall goal of the project is to reduce the prevalence and impact of HIV in the workforce (informal sector workers) and the wider community. To achieve this counselling and testing identified as key to behaviour change and prevention is an integral part of the ILO strategy. KEBA Africa has been contracted to expand access to the informal sector workers to HIV prevention, HIV/AIDS treatment and care and support and in so doing enhance their prospect for continued gainful employment. To achieve the above set objectives KEBA Africa is training peer educators and peer counsellors to act as community mobilization agents to round up their peers for HIV testing. Further training is also being organised for previously trained peer counsellors on recognition of STD/STIs and its management. The mobile and/or outreach counseling and testing sessions are being organised using the National AIDS STI Control Programme  (NACP) counseling and testing (CT) guidelines.

In the Western and Central region KEBA AFRICA is providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and HIV/AIDS training of staff of media stations such as TWIN CITY FM, AHOMKA FM, and ATL FM as part of the Ghana AIDS Commission funded MSHAP 2000/2010 programme of work. Anticipated results to be achieved after the implementation of the programme include:

• An HIV Workplace Policy based on the ILO Code of Practice designed and disseminated to all employees

• A behavioral change communications (BCC) exercise conducted and appropriate materials developed and distributed in strategic areas and locations at the premises of Twin City Radio, AHOMKA, and ATL FM stations and its environs.

• 200 Peer-group educators trained and equipped in peer counseling and stigma and discrimination management techniques

• 500 Staff members, listeners and families sensitized on HIV transmission and how to relate to people living with and affected by HIV through developed broadcast programmes

• 5000 Radio staff members, listeners and their families counseled and tested for HIV through VCT outreach programmes

• 5000 staff and listeners provided with 5000 male and female condoms to prevent HIV infection.

• 240 HIV Radio forums and discussions organized

• 30 HIV and AIDS jingle recorded and aired on radio programmes

• Evaluation and reporting systems developed to enhance follow-up programmes.

Since 2007 we have been organising CFAO Ghana’s HIV workplace policy which is one of the best in country. Some of the lessons learnt has been profiled on the Barrel of hope programme organised by the Ghana AIDS Commission.

We have organised VCT programmes for GSMF TOOL GUARD and DRIVE PROTECTED projects in all ten regions of Ghana, from Accra all the way to Paga. The project was funded by DFID from 2003 to 2008. We are also in partnership with GSMF, organising Netherlands embassy CVCT programs in Accra, as well as SHELL Ghana’s CVCT activities in Accra,Takoradi, Tarkwa and Kumasi. This are yearly programmes that are still active.

The Ga East District Assembly VCT programs during World AIDS Day 2008 in Madina and Abokobi respectively were solely organised by us. The Ga West District outreach VCT programs in Pokuase and Amansaman during the 2008 calender year were also organised by us. In 2008/2009 we also developed and oversaw Cadbury Ghana Ltd’s HIV program as well as Gateway Services limited’s HIV program.

Also in 2008 we helped the Ghana National association of the Deaf (GNAD) to develop a Video drama on HIV/AIDS as well as to help train over 1500 of their members.

CONCERN Universal an NGO based in Ireland with offices in Accra and Sunyani contracted KEBA Africa in 2009 to:

• Provide outreach counseling and testing services for at least 5000 people in Sunyani municipal , Sunyani West, Berekum, Dormaa East, Dormaa Municipal and Jaman South districts of the Brong Ahafo region.

• Reach at least 5000 people with HIV/AIDS information via one –on –one counseling sessions.

By the end of twelve months, KEBA Africa achieved the following results in the five districts;

Reached 2,000 in-school youth with comprehensive information on HIV and AIDS

• Reached 20,000 out-of-school youth with comprehensive information on HIV and AIDS
• Distributed 300,000 condoms to MARPS and general population
• Offered CT services to 5,000 people
• Reached 220,500 from the general population with messages on preventing the transmission of HIV and rejecting misconceptions about HIV and AIDS