Community development and counselling project (COD)
Project leader:  Stephen Nakibinge

Background: Engaging the community as a key constituency in research in developing countries is important. The COD project supports the Programme’s three research projects and related collaborative projects by undertaking community development activities covering the whole subcounty (53 villages) and providing HIV voluntary counselling and testing services in the study area (25 villages).

Objectives: To enhance the acceptability of the Programme’s research activities in Kyamulibwa subcounty and to provide HIV voluntary counselling and testing services in the study area. 

Methods: The project aims at engaging different stakeholders in the community and providing a platform for dialogue and feedback from and to the community about the ongoing Programme activities. The project undertakes activities which attract community interest and participation in, and support for, the project, mostly through community groups. The three main areas of activity are: i) health care and promotion, ii) HIV/AIDS prevention and care, and iii) community development aimed at poverty reduction.

Results: The project has facilitated community services with a variety of activities: (i) health care and promotion, including clinical care provided by GPC staff during the household survey; support for improved service delivery at government health units; household hygiene improvement; water supply and sanitation; malaria prevention; promotion of safe motherhood; homecare services for bed-bound members of the community (with AIDS or other debilitating chronic illness); (ii) HIV/AIDS prevention and care, including counselling and testing services; school HIV prevention programme; support to community perpetuators of culture; group of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA); provision and promotion of condoms;(iii) Community development, including agricultural improvement programme for training farmers, more