Overview

The AIDS Resource Center (ARC) provides campaign support to the Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (FHAPCO) and partners. There are two major national events focused on HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia: World AIDS Day on December 1 and Ethiopian National HIV Counseling and Testing Day (HCT) on September 10, the eve of the Ethiopian New Year.

ARC serves as an active member of the World AIDS Day and HCT Day task forces, providing technical and financial support to conduct the campaigns. This includes developing messages and producing campaign materials  including posters, flyers, t-shirts, banners, billboards, press kits, press alerts, web pages, video and radio PSAs, documentaries and feature stories.

World AIDS Day is marked every year in Ethiopia, providing an opportunity to commemorate and publicly share successes and achievements in the battle against HIV/AIDS, while recognizing the epidemic’s global and national impact.

World AIDS Campaign

• 2008 – Leadership
• 2007 – Leadership
• 2006 – Leadership
• 2005 – Leadership
• 2004 – Women and Girls, Leadership

HCT Day: National HCT day is observed on the Eve of the Ethiopian New Year; the day was designated by the Ethiopian President to be observed every year with the central message “New Year. New Life.”

HIV Counseling and Testing

• 2009 – Men In a couple
• 2008 – In-and Out of School Youth (ages between the ages of 15-24)
• 2007 – Family
• 2006 – Couples
• 2005 – Youth
• 2004 – Men
• 2003 – Young men and women in reproductive age group

Objective:

• Provide campaign support to Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office (FHAPCO) and partners
• Help ensure that World AIDS Day and HCT Day events are successful

Activities
ARC provides the following services for HCT Day and World AIDS Day:

-       Development  of campaign communication strategy based on the theme of the year

-       Production and distribution of campaign materials (posters, brochures, red ribbons, posting on the website, etc.)

-       Support for event coordination by communicating theme to various sectors, while ARC partners serve as point of contact for campaign materials distribution

-       Media coordination and involving/encouraging the media to provide coverage; responding to media inquire and directing requests from the media personnel; and updating the media on current issues, theme, etc.

Program Audience
The program audiences for events depend on the decision of organizing body such as HAPCO or nationally established taskforce coordinating the event. It also depends whether the communication is focused on IEC/BCC and/or Advocacy.

Contribution
The number of organizations that utilize the HCT Day and World AIDS day themes is growing. Demand for the materials developed by ARC is also increasing. More recently for HCT Day, the ARC distributed close to 100,000 posters and flyers. All Regional ARCs observe National HCT Day with various outdoor events that fit the theme for the year. These events are actively attended by local community members who enjoy the opportunity to be entertained and informed about HIV.

When the first National HCT Day in 2004 was established in Ethiopia to promote HCT services in the country, very few people knew their sero-status and not many people understood the benefits of accessing HCT services. Since then, ARC has undertaken various HCT promotional activities that immensely contributed to the increase in the uptake of HCT. Currently close to 9 million people have been tested for HIV and know their status.

Materials

• Posters
• Flyers
• Audio PSAs
• Events Photos

• Continue providing campaign support to FHAPCO and partners.
• Produce audio visual materials for events
• Coordinate events and media coverage for the events

Partners

• FHAPCO
• CDC
• University Partners
• Regional HAPCOs

Contact
Selamawit Mamo
Events and Media Coordinator
Telephone: 251 11 550 3584 (Ext, 1131)
Fax: 251 11 550 3749
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: www.etharc.org