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With an HIV prevalence rate of 11.1 percent, Zambia receives significant support from USAID under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). These PEPFAR investments focus on scaling up integrated HIV prevention and care and treatment programs, with the goal of supporting Zambia to reach HIV epidemic control. The USAID Zambia Community HIV Prevention Project (Z-CHPP) is designed to prevent new HIV infections through community-based behavioral interventions, improved condom accessibility and use, and promotion of high-impact services. Z-CHPP targets discordant couples, people living with HIV, adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and other high-risk groups.

  • Life of Project: November 2015 – November 2021
  • Geographic Focus: Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Lusaka, Northern, and Southern Provinces
  • Partner: Pact, Inc.
  • Chief of Party: Lovemore Nkhoma
  • Total USAID and PEPFAR Funding: $75 million
  • USAID Contact: Arlene Phiri - aphiri@usaid.gov

In addition to providing broad-based prevention programming, Z-CHPP serves as the lead partner for the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, Safe (DREAMS) program. DREAMS is a PEPFAR-driven initiative designed to prevent new HIV infections among AGYW, ages 10-24, across 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Within this context, Z-CHPP delivers a core package of evidence-informed approaches, within and beyond the health sector, to address the structural drivers that impact AGYW’s HIV infection risk, including gender inequality, lack of education, poverty, and sexual violence.

Z-CHPP works across 11 districts, engaging community stakeholders, to effectively address the complex variables that drive or prevent the transmission of HIV. Specific activities include:

  • Dissemination of social and behavior change information; 
  • Provision of HIV prevention education interventions;
  • Demand creation for high-impact, biomedical services;
  • Targeted HIV testing of highest risk populations; and
  • Linkage to HIV care and treatment for those who test positive. 

Under DREAMS, Z-CHPP works with five other implementing partners to reduce HIV incidence among vulnerable AGYW. DREAMS provides beneficiaries with safe, confidential spaces to access a package of services tailored to their individual needs. Additionally, DREAMS works with the sexual partners of AGYW, parents, schools, and communities to strengthen the supportive networks necessary for young women to thrive. The services provided include: mentor-led safe spaces, gender-based violence care and support, HIV testing and counseling for AGYW and their sexual partners, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), school scholarship support, parenting-skills education, and economic strengthening.

Expected Results

Z-CHPP will provide HIV prevention messaging to approximately 1.9 million people at risk of HIV infection over the life of the project. The project will also distribute 12.6 million condoms, test 400,000 people for HIV, provide 19,000 HIV self-test kits, and enroll more than 600,000 AGYW in the DREAMS program. These initiatives are expected to significantly contribute to Zambia reaching the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target of: 

  • Ensuring 95 percent of HIV positive individuals know their HIV status;
  • Initiating 95 percent of those who tested positive on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART); and
  • Ensuring 95 percent of those on ART are virally suppressed.
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Zambia Past Project