Good Practice

Prevention and mitigation of HIV/AIDS labour and socioeconomic impact in the world of work in Uganda and Ethiopia - Final Evaluation

Good Practice Description

Translation of HIV/AIDS material into a number of local languages.

In 2008 James Finlay tea estate created a monitoring system in order to be able to measure the benefits of the HIV/AIDS programme. Data was collected around levels of absenteeism, productivity, mother-to-child transmission and overall well-being of staff. This monitoring system is used to report to the executive board on the impact of the HIV/AIDS workplace policy.

From the outset, establishing a MOU with respective enterprises to clearly set out initial roles and responsibilities of each of the parties in the development and operationalisation of the HIV/AIDS Work Place policy. This provided a reference point to which each party could refer as a guideline when interventions had commenced.

Drama, family events and multi-media were the most successful forms of intervention in raising awareness. This exposure to information in a non-threatening manner encouraged attendees to 'talk out' about issues surrounding HIV/AIDS.
Cost-sharing on implementation of policy, the degree to be determined on a case-by-case basis. The degree of cost share to shift towards the enterprise as the project continues.
Because of the establishment of the policy in James Finlay, in 2006 the Ministry of Health started to supply ARV directly through the estate clinics.
A sustained partnership approach was seen as an effective way of mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in the workplace. Examples of an effective partnership approach were cited by a number of stakeholders by the placing of seconded staff into enterprises to work to operationalising policy guidelines.