SHARe STORY #13
SPEAKING THE SAME Empowering DATFs LANGUAGE: through Creation
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istrict AIDS Task Forces (DATFs) have a crucial role in Zambia’s fight against HIV – most importantly, the coordination of the nation’s HIV programs at the district level. However, lack of a united technical support effort both between DATFs and amongst their multiple technical support partners has in the past resulted in different and sometimes conflicting coordination approaches and methodologies being espoused. Ultimately, this has led to confusion and inefficiencies in DATF operations. But this began to change in 2011 when the PEPFAR/USAID-funded SHARe II project facilitated the development of the District Coordination Toolkit, which empowered DATFs by giving them one language to speak with each other and with collaborating partners. Providing technical support to the DATFs has always been challenging because they are supported by a number of influential technical partners, each with its own package of support, and each requiring DATFs to follow its approach to doing things. Mr. Protasio Katotobwe, a District AIDS Coordination Advisor (DACA) for Kabwe DATF, explains “Past technical support efforts were always difficult to follow because each partner tried to push their guides as the best and in the end the DATFs were left confused and without clear guidelines.” This created a problem because the National AIDS Council (NAC), the nationallevel coordination structure the DATFs report to, felt the DATFs had received the technical support they needed to function well, when in fact they had not. The multiple technical support packages from partners neither unified DATFs nor improved their coordination of district HIV responses. Applying lessons learned working with DATFs from the predecessor SHARe project, SHARe II worked to change things. It brought together representatives from all DATFs, NAC, technical support partners, including the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and other stakeholders, to develop and implement a toolkit for district HIV response coordination, based on the needs that the DATFs
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of the District Coordination Toolkit
themselves expressed. This toolkit explains the DATFs’ roles and responsibilities and how they fit into the national HIV response; provides step-bystep management guidelines, training resources, and tools to ensure DATFs can effectively carry out their mandates, including budgeting, financial management, stakeholder coordination, and proposalwriting; and provides templates and examples of reporting forms and data collection tools that ensure data is collected correctly, managed well, and properly utilized. Because all key players – both end-users and technical support partners – were involved in the design, the District Coordination Toolkit richly benefitted from the vast experiences and perspectives they all brought to the table, while the process of working together allowed for useful work-related relationships and networks to be formed. The toolkit has provided DATFs with the skills and guidance they need to move forward – along with a unified vision and a united technical approach – to reach DATF goals. For the first time, they can speak one language– with each other and with technical support partners. The Isoka DACA, Mr. Mabvuto Mhone, explains, “It is encouraging to see our technical support partners speaking the same language – and it is this toolkit that ensures the same language is spoken. Such clear communication has given DATFs the support and technical guidance they have long needed to take charge of the district-level HIV response.”
THE SHAR e II STORY BOOK: CELEBRATING OUR SUCCESSES AND SHARING OUR STORIES