Stay Alive Foundation Grant on Youth and HIV/AIDS
The AIDS epidemic is one of the worse in East Africa. According to Uganda HIV and AIDS Sero-Behavioral Survey 2009, Uganda has a generalized HIV prevalence of 6.4% amongst adults (15-49 yrs), and 0.7% in children with a total of 1 million people infected. UNAIDS Statistics on Uganda indicates that 90,000 to 136,000 young women and 39,000 to 58,000 young men, aged 14-24 are living with HIV/AIDS. It is also estimated that young men and women 15-24 are able to correctly identify ways of preventing HIV transmission and reject major misconceptions is as low as 31.9% for women and 38.2% for men.

These trends are alarming and indicative of the need for effective forms of communication and interventions to address these issues. The goal of this project is to inform as many youth by providing accurate information on HIV prevention, transmission and treatment services to lower the rate of infection and improve the lives of those who currently suffer from this communitive disease.

Through the use of mobile technology through short message service, we endeavor to provide access to information and referrals of existing HIV/AIDS services. Youth will be able to immediately, easily and privately access information through their cell phones. With a push of a button there will be several hundred frequently asked questions on HIV/AIDS available within the system. Questions are texted in by phone and answers will be sent to the user by text, along with prompting for addition questions that may not have been considered, to help provide information. If more help is needed a counselor from the national hotline service will be available to talk to.

HIV Main Target Group
The total number of HIV calls received to date by the national hotline is 11,667, M=10,219, F=1448 of which 7,882 calls are from youths 14-24 years. There are estimated 200 missed calls per day of which only 50 calls can be managed. With the use of mobile technology the gap can be closed increasing public awareness of information and services. We hope to capture these individuals who are missed in addition to unreached youth through marketing efforts. The estimates range from 40,000 to 200,000 youth receiving information on HIV/AIDS prevention, transmission and treatment.

Marketing efforts will promote the use of this service through radio, television and published material through out Uganda. There is little access to HIV/AIDS services or information in rural areas. Cells phones are the main source of communication among the public and accessible to the hard to reach population. Mobile service covers all of Uganda and English is the second most common language. With this technology youth can easily be reached and informed. With limited resources in an underdeveloped country this is a feasible and practical solution to managing one of the worst AIDS epidemics in East Africa.

Total cost of project $11,500.00