CDU News | Page 13
CDU Visits Rise up ! Project Site in Zambia
The Office of International Affairs and members of CDU ’ s technical staff visited Zambia , representing the US-base of the Rise Up ! Project . The purpose of the visit was to complete the aims of the PEPFAR funded grant to deliver Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( HIV ) services and psychosocial support to adolescent girls and young women in Zambia .
Some of the goals of the visit were to enhance project planning , implementation , capacity building and management and to execute the CDU Advantage focusing on the International-Global Health Experience pillar .
The Rise Up ! Project is culturally sensitive , clinical , and community-based programming offered for both HIV-positive and negative adolescent girls and young women ( AGYW ). The objective of the Rise Up ! Project includes improving linkages to and retention in HIV care and treatment for over 25,000 HIV-positive females in five General Hospitals in Lusaka as well as five Clinics on the Copperbelt that is Kitwe and Ndola .
Intervention activities included partnerships with community organizations , government facilities , local Gender Based Violence networks , local hospitals , and church leaders . HIV testing and US agencies implement youth friendly HIV Peer Navigation services that efficiently link newly diagnosed HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women to HIV care , treatment , and psychosocial support at the Rise Up ! Houses .