PROJECTS & PROGRAMS

In September 2008, T-MARC was awarded the “Families Matter! Project” (FMP) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through PEPFAR funding for a five year duration. The Families Matter! Project aims to bring a difference in Youth HIV/AIDS prevention efforts by targeting parents of pre-adolescents, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge about sexuality and sexual risk behaviours, encouraging abstinence and enhancing the delayed onset of sexual debut.

Project Goal and Objectives

The ultimate goal of the FMP in Tanzania was to reduce sexual risk behaviors among adolescents—including delaying the onset of sexual debut; by giving parents the knowledge, skills, comfort and confidence to discuss sexuality issues with their children. It is designed to give parents of children aged 9-12 years relevant information about ways that they can reduce their children’s risk of becoming infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, or falling pregnant.

The intervention curriculum has three main objectives including:

• Raising parents’ awareness about the sexual risks adolescents face today
• Encouraging positive parenting practices that increase the likelihood that children will not engage in risky sexual behaviors:
  • Parental monitoring (knowing where one’s child is, who they are with, and when they will be home)
  • Positive reinforcement (use of praise and rewards to reinforce good behavior)
  • Relationship building (improving the parentchild relationship).
• Improving parents’ knowledge, comfort, skills and confidence to effectively communicate with their children about sexuality and sexual risk reduction (parental responsiveness).

FMP is delivered to groups of 12-18 parents by two facilitators (one male, one female) through a series of five consecutive weekly sessions and a booster session offered six months after the completion of the five-week intervention. Each session lasts 2.5 - 3 hours and builds upon the foundation laid in the previous session.

The 9-12 year-old children attend the fifth session along with their participating parent. By the end of the program, parents should feel more competent and comfortable in addressing sex issues with their children. The booster session offered six months after parents complete the five-session program helps reinforce lessons learnt and provides a forum for discussing challenges that they have faced in putting their new skills into effect.

Intervention Areas

HIV prevention, Reproductive Health, Family Planning