ACET Nigeria is a Christian organisation committed to mobilising and equipping the church and society to respond wholistically to HIV/AIDS and related diseases, improving quality of life for its target groups. Our work as a result is guided by the values below. Compassion: We sympathise, empathise and celebrate with the vulnerable, infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. We are committed to sharing the
burden, sorrow, pains, rejection and joy of the vulnerable people infected/affected by HIV/AIDS. Human Dignity: We respect all humans as people created in the image of God. We provide services to all irrespective of religion, race and sex standing in the society. Accountability: We are open, trustworthy and responsible to those we serve and our donors. We are committed to holding others accountable to ethical and professional standards. Teamwork: We value individual contribution and synergy in our joint service and impact; contributing individually towards the goals and objectives of ACET. We are committed to the promotion of unity in action among staff, churches and communities. Selflessness: Believing that it is more rewarding to give than to receive, we contribute time, knowledge and skills at all times. We are committed to going the extra mile in the services we offer. Excellence: We cherish quality. We are committed to diligence and the pursuit of highest level of standards. ACET NIGERIA PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
THEMATIC AREAS
Behaviour Change and Prevention Education: ACET Nigeria is involved in training church and community leaders who serve as peer educators in their communities, conducting outreaches to churches and villages with comprehensive education on HIV/AIDS and related illnesses. The trainees also train more people who join the team of ACET volunteers and hold discussion forums. ACET has a variety of behaviour change and communication (BCC) materials on HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and other related issues in English, Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo languages which are distributed among beneficiaries. Capacity building of health service providers for biomedical prevention including appropriate handling and disposal of sharps and blood safety is also undertaken. ACET Nigeria also educates teenage girls and couples on Prevention of Parent-to-Child Transmission (PPTCT or PMTCT) of HIV. Counselling and Testing: ACET Nigeria has Community-Driven HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) Teams in target communities who move to local communities to provide HCT services. Counselling and testing for viral hepatitis (HBV and HCV), tuberculosis and malaria are also being taken on at the ACET Nigeria Service Centres being established. Screening of antenatal (ANC) pregnant women for HIV and related diseases is also taken on. All these are aimed at increasing access to counselling and testing for HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), TB and malaria among people in target communities. Treatment: ACET Nigeria works to increase access to quality treatment of opportunistic infections (OIs), standard antiretroviral therapy (ART) and treatment monitoring/adherence support services among most vulnerable people and people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in target communities. Service Centres are being developed starting from Kwall, Bassa LGA and ACET Head Office in Jos, Jos South LGA where these services will be provided. Care and Support for PLWHIV, OVC and the Most Vulnerable: ACET Nigeria is committed to increasing the ability of PLWHIV, OVC and most vulnerable people to undertake sustainable income generating activities; improving their livelihood and reducing their vulnerability in target communities. This is promoted by helping target beneficiaries to have increased knowledge on entrepreneurship and vocational skills through training and microcredit loans. ACET Nigeria also promotes increased access to formal education and holistic care and support for OVC and other most vulnerable people in target communities. We are also involved in compassionate Home Based Care (HBC). Research and Advocacy: ACET Nigeria undertakes research in local communities to establish baseline for its responses to HIV/AIDS and related issues as well as operational research on its responses. The organisation also advocates alone and/or in coalition with other organisations/agencies to leaders of churches, local communities and government on topical issues affecting its target groups/communities towards reduction of stigma/discrimination and increased access to basic commodities/services as well as for reducing vulnerability of target communities. Institutional Strengthening: ACET Nigeria has passion for quality service and is committed to diligence and the pursuit of highest level of standards. We therefore undertake ongoing staff capacity building and update our facilities and systems regularly to meet requisite standards. TARGET COMMUNITIES
Target States and LGAs: Plateau State: Bassa LGA, Jos North LGA, Jos South LGA, Langtang South LGA and Shendam LGA, Benue State: Wanune in Tarka LGA; Nasarawa: Gunduma, Karu LGA; FCT - Abuja
Target Beneficiaries: These include:
Church and Community Leaders: Youth, men and women leaders in churches and local communities are gatekeepers of their communities and are trained and supported to serve as agents of change in their communities. We recruit ACET Community Volunteers from among these people. Advocacy initiatives also target these leaders aimed at effecting positive changes in policies and practices that affect HIV/AIDS and related issues. Church Congregations and Community Members: Individual members of churches and local communities (villages and suburbs) across all age ranges benefit directly from ACET Nigeria’s education and behaviour change activities, and counselling and testing services. People Living with HIV or AIDS: People living with HIV (PLWHIV) benefit from counselling and testing, treatment, and care and support services including HCT, treatment preparatory tests, opportunistic infections (OIs) tests and treatment, home based care (HBC), vocational skills training and microcredit loans. Spouses of PLWHIV and their babies benefit from prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services. Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Children who have not reached 17 years old and have lost either or both parents due to HIV/AIDS, communal conflict, childbirth related maternal mortality, physically challenged children, children on the street, children of Female Commercial Sex Workers (FCSW) and children from very poor family benefit from sponsorship of basic and secondary education, vocational skills building and microcredit loans. They also benefit from behaviour change communication activities. Other Most Vulnerable Populations: Other most vulnerable populations including spouses of people living with HIV, widows, out-of-school (e.g. on the street or in motor parks), youth from underserved communities, drug addicts, commercial sex workers, men who have sex with men, barbers and saloon keepers, motorcycle/tricycle riders, and commercial drivers benefit from behaviour change communication activities, counselling and testing, vocational skills development services and microcredit loans. GOAL, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES (2013 – 2017)
Goal: Reduction in new HIV infections and improved quality of life for people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and the most vulnerable in underserved communities of Nigeria. Objectives: The specific objectives of ACET Nigeria are to:
1. Build the capacity of local churches and communities to prevent HIV infections, reduce stigma and care for people living with HIV and most vulnerable children.
2. Mitigate the psycho-social impact of HIV and AIDS on the communities and especially the orphans and vulnerable children.
3. Scale up the provision of PMTCT, HCT and OI testing and treatment services in rural Nigeria.
4. Increase ACET Nigeria institutional capacity to deliver evidence-based projects. Strategies: Strategies include:
Training: Training workshops and vocational skills courses will be conducted for appropriate target populations. Behaviour Change Communication materials Development and Distribution: Pamphlets, books, shirts, billboards and motorcycle stickers will be produced in English and Hausa and distributed for education and communication towards behaviour change. Service Provision: Counselling, testing, treatment, PMTCT, and care and support services will be provided to PLWHIV, OVC, female commercial sex workers, Okada riders/tricycle operators and other most vulnerable populations. Film Show and Popular Theatre: Documentaries in English and Hausa will be shown at motorcycle/tricycle parks, brothels and other strategic locations for education on HIV/AIDS and drug abuse. Short dramas will be staged at parks and brothels as well. ACET SERVICE CENTRES
Vocational/skills Training Centres in Kwall, Bassa LGA, Plateau State: ACET Nigeria also establishes a vocational/skills training centre in Kwall, Bassa LGA to increase knowledge on entrepreneurship and vocational skills among PLHIV, OVC and most vulnerable people in their community and to also increased access to formal education and wholistic care and support among OVC in Kwall community. A set of five knitting machines have been procured with accessories and rented out to 12 trained OVC caregivers since July 2013. Soap and Bead making apparatuses have been procured and granted to 15 trained OVC at this centre in July. Hospital/Biomedical Centre in Kwall, Bassa LGA, Plateau State: ACET Nigeria just received a Biomedical Centre in Kwall, Bassa LGA which is being developed to achieve the following.
• Increased knowledge of HIV sero-status and related illnesses, and increased ability to control progression from HIV infection to AIDS among people living with HIV (PLHIV) and most vulnerable people in Bassa LGA.
• Increased access to counselling and testing for HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), TB and malaria among people in Bassa LGA.
• Increased access to quality treatment of opportunistic infections (OIs), standard antiretroviral therapy (ART), Home Based Care (HBC) and treatment monitoring/adherence support services among most vulnerable people and people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Bassa LGA. Service Centres in Wannune, Tarka LGA, Benue State: ACET Nigeria has secured a four bedroom accommodation in Wannune which is being developed with HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) and vocational/skills training centre to increase knowledge on entrepreneurship and vocational skills among PLHIV, OVC and most vulnerable people in the community and to also increased access to formal education and wholistic care and support among OVC. TECHNICAL CAPACITY
STAFF SKILLS
ACET Nigeria has six full time staff composed of Director (CEO), Administrative Officer, Accountant, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Office/Logistics Assistant, and Service Centre Assistant. The Board has approved the employment of a Programme Officer and the process of recruitment has commenced. The Strategic Plan for 2013 to 2017 also has provision for employment of a Medical Officer, a Laboratory Scientist and nurses. The staff are all professionals and technically sound in HIV programming (curriculum vitae of these staff are available). COMMITTED AND SKILFUL VOLUNTEERS
We have a good number of dedicated volunteers who are of two main categories:
National Level Volunteers: These are volunteers who work as professionals in various walks of life but offer their expert services to ACET Nigeria in our training activities and service centres without charging professional fees. We currently have 15 of them. There are ten (10) key trainers who are most frequently utilized while the others feature from time to time. Community Volunteers: These are community members who are trained to undertake grassroots awareness campaign and community driven HCT outreaches and home-based care and treatment adherence support. Currently we have about 15 in Mabudi, 25 in Shendam, 10 in Kwall, all in Plateau State and 13 in Abuja. They are usually raised from local churches in the various communities. OPERATIONAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE AND PROCESS
ACET Nigeria has 3 Trustees, 7 Board members, Director, Management, Staff, Field Coordinators, Volunteers, Trainers and Consultants. The above Teams are composed of people skilled in their giving profession and are made up of: Accountants, Lawyers, Financial Advisers, Bankers, Medical doctors, Nurses, Medical Microbiologist, Medical Laboratory Scientist, Educationist, Administrators, Theologians, and PLHIV. ACET Nigeria operates with the following policy documents: HIV/AIDS Policy, Personnel Policy, Procurement Policy and Financial Policy. HOW ACET NIGERIA WORKS IN AND WITH THE COMMUNITY
CAPACITY BUILDING OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IN SERVING THE POOR
ACET works with local leaders in the target communities to mobilise professionals and non-professionals and equip them to serve as volunteers and staff who provide counselling, testing, treatment, adherence support, vocational skills training, and mentoring support. Community members are also mobilised to advocate for needed changes in the traditions/cultural practices that drive the epidemic in the target communities. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
We really value the knowledge, capacities and feedback from our stakeholders. We involve the communities at the various stages of the project cycle from project identification (needs/capacity assessment), design, implementation (with monitoring and review) and evaluation.
• Community HIV and AIDS education is currently being handled by ACET trainees based in their communities.
• Community Driven HCT Services are being provided by ACET HCT teams in target communities of Plateau State
• Each community we work has a Coordinator who directs and manages other volunteers in his or her community. These coordinators report back to ACET M&E Team.
• Coordinators’ Meetings are held at ACET Nigeria Headquarters each year where major decisions regarding project implementation are taken.
• Coordinators from the various fields assist in the evaluation of project in their respective communities alongside ACET Evaluation Team.
• Community forum which focuses on programme implementation and other grassroots issues are held every year at community level. This involves stakeholders such as pastors and other church leaders, Government officials (Local AIDS Control Agency [LACA] officials), Community volunteers, and field coordinators. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORKING
ACET Nigeria partners with Scripture Union West Africa (SUWA) in the aspect mainstreaming Conflict Resolution, Trauma Healing and Peace Building in HIV/AIDS intervention; and Psychosocial Life Skills Building for young people. We also partner with African Health Project in implementing tuberculosis case finding project in Plateau State. ACET Nigeria networks with other NGOs and FBOs working in the target states and communities including Fellowship of Christian Students, Pro-Health International, The ECWA AIDS Ministry and Grace and Light International. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Accounting Systems: ACET Nigeria operates both manual and electronic accounting systems. Various books of accounts are kept manually and on Excel Spreadsheet. Annual budgets are prepared and approved by the ACET Nigeria Board. Special project plans are also approved by the Board. Every income is recorded in the organisation’s income cash book, duly receipted and banked. Every expenditure carried out is based on a request raised and approved by the Director before payment voucher and cheque will be raised which are then signed by the signatories to the accounts (Director, Board Treasurer and one other person in top leadership position of ACET Nigeria). Director and Accountant check expenses carried out and then recorded in the expenses cashbook. Monthly bank reconciliation statements are prepared and half year and annual financial reports are prepared and submitted to Board, development partners and other key stakeholders. Annual Audit is carried out by an accredited audit firm approved by the Board. Banking: ACET Nigeria operates naira bank accounts with the following banks. ECO Bank – Current Account Number 0011973950; Access Bank – Current Account Number 0002622608. ACET Nigeria also operates dollar bank accounts which are used to receive grants and income at ECO Bank US Dollar Account Number 0060588790.
