The project objectives are to:

• develop awareness among media professionals in the region on the socially and culturally sensitive approaches to dealing with the subject of HIV/AIDS.
• enhance the quality and quantity of information and communication materials on HIV/AIDS for journalists, publishers, media owners and training institutions in the region.
• develop a core of high level journalists and other media professionals to produce communication materials and programmes in the printed and electronic press for general consumption and advocacy.
• enhance the exchange of “Best Practice” in information and communication in the region.
• enhance media program impact monitoring and evaluation for the orientation and design of media interventions according to specific socio-cultural and geographic characteristics of the target population.

The project is guided by the following three-pronged strategy:

• The increased level of understanding of media and media professionals of HIV/AIDS;
• The networking of media and media professionals throughout East Africa and beyond, to exchange journalistic materials and best practices;
• The setting up of a Resource Centre and Databases (in collaboration with all UN Agencies, regional and national media and health networks, NGOs and CBOs ), with an Internet Portal dedicated to providing socially, culturally and politically relevant information on HIV/AIDS.

The main project activities include:

• Organisation of training, sensitisation and orientation workshops for various classes of stakeholders in the region.
• Development and production of training models to address issue and geographically specific material.
• Setting up of a network of media institutions that will produce and disseminate culturally sensitive information and communication on HIV/AIDS.
• Setting up of a media resource unit (clearing house) for material on HIV/AIDS for regional syndication.
• Development and maintenance of intra-regional, inter-regional and continental exchange networks for collaborative action on HIV/AIDS.
• Production and dissemination of information and communication material on HIV/AIDS through the creation of specialised databases in the countries with a participatory model .
• Adaptation, translation and duplication of information and communication material on HIV/AIDS across languages, print, electronic and new ICT media including the establishment and maintenance of websites and interactive databases for public access.
• Setting up of a monitoring and evaluation database for impact analysis and feedback generation for all stakeholders;
• Monitoring and evaluation of project outputs to provide inputs for further development

To implement the project the project organisers aim to use the following resources:

• Human Resources: A multi-disciplinary team of health professionals, social workers, communication specialists and ICT professionals has been set up to collect and package information and communication materials for journalists and other media professionals as well as media personnel specialising in HIV/AIDS issues working in media houses in the region.
• Communication and Information Resources: ICT/Media production and duplication facilities have been set up for the creation and reproduction of generic and specialised journalistic materials as well as radio programmes for the region. In addition a network of media outlets has been established for the dissemination of professional media messages for public access.
• Training Resources: Regional training facilities have been established for inter-disciplinary training and orientation for journalists and other media professionals as well as international training of trainers in HIV/AIDS and investigative journalism. The project also includes cross-cultural training and international exchange of knowledge and experiences through workshops, exchange programmes and attachments. It also runs national sensitising workshops.

The target audience of the programme include journalists, general public and other media professionals in the region. It also aims to benefit healthcare professionals and other social workers through networking with media professionals for structured dissemination of their messages.

HIV/AIDS.

According to the project, the spread and prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa is the highest in the world and it continues to grow exponentially. However in most African communities within and outside these regions, open discussion of the subject of HIV/AIDS and its proper coverage by the mass media have continued to be inhibited mainly due to cultural and social taboos and stigma. Consequently, the quantity and quality of media output on HIV/AIDS falls far below the level required for its potential impact in the fight against the pandemic. This situation has been found to be similar in all the countries of the region.