EFA International proudly announces that it is a grant recipient of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)’s Volunteer Activities Support and Training (VAST) program. With the help of Peace Corps Volunteer technical assistant Caitlyn Bradburn, the Cameroon Regional Office secured $3,000 to fund its Peer Education trainings for the summer of 2010.

PEPFAR’s VAST program is a funding resource for small-scale HIV/AIDS projects initiated by communities and organizations partnered with Peace Corps Volunteers. The program is funded by PEPFAR on an annual basis. The VAST program provides PEPFAR funds to support HIV/AIDS outreach and training in communities where Peace Corps Volunteers live and work.

From the field, Caitlyn reports that they will do one elongated session per month throughout July, August and September.  We will be able to reduce transportation because there are fewer (longer) sessions. In addition, the Maroua youth group trainees are contributing to reducing lodging expenses by hosting the out-of-town trainees. We tried that for Men as Partners [training, held in February 2010] and with the more recent Peer Education sessions and found great success.

Congratulations to Caitlyn and the Cameroon Regional Office!

Tags: Men as Partners, peace corps, peer education, self-sustaining, training, youth network, youth support groups