Duration: 2008 – 2013
USAID Pathways for Participation (called Project Pathways) is a five-year long project funded by the International Development Agency (USAID), implemented in nine provinces in Vietnam, including Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Nghe An, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho and An Giang. The aim of the project is to enhance the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs), most at risk populations (i.e. IDU, FSWs, MSM), and people living with HIV (PLHIV) to deliver effective and efficient HIV services and to engage in programming, decision-making, and policy advocacy efforts in the response to the HIV epidemic.
PHAD was one of the five strategic partners in charge of project implementation activities on monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for this project. PHAD strengthened the organizational and development capacity of selected Lead Partners (LPs) to strengthen the organizational and technical capacity of other Vietnamese CSOs and work in partnership with the government of Vietnam (GVN) to deliver quality HIV services in support of the national HIV/AIDS response. This was through:
• Establishing a framework for communication, networking, and linkages among CSO and government (both local and national) HIV/AIDS services.
• Supporting and strengthening the capacity of local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), MARPs, and PLHIV community-based groups (registered and non-registered) to provide community-based support and services, advocate for the increasing role of the MARP/PLHIV sector in the HIV national response, and develop and promote replicable, evidence-based models of HIV service provision.
• Providing coordination and technical support through developing documentation and tools, organizing training courses to improve M&E for strategic partners and provincial CSOs and ensuring data of CSOs are integrated into the national reporting system. Besides technical assistance, PHAD also provided organizational development and advocacy for the other strategic partners and built implementation capacity for CSOs in two provinces Nghe An and An Giang.
• Establishing the principle of MARP and PLHIV involvement as an essential and necessary component of core service packages for HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support.
• Establishing an evidence base on the CSO role in HIV response and advocating at the national and provincial level on the value and importance of CSO participation and partnership in the national HIV response.