Mentoring Initiative

Mission: Equipping boys and girls to emerge as leaders and “Change Agents” to make a difference in their community and to create the Beloved Community of which Dr. King spoke and Dr. Lowery has encouraged through his message of “Let us turn to each other and not on each other.”

Project Overview

• Yearlong pilot program targeted for middle school African-American boys and girls.
• Bi-weekly meetings designed to address some of the concerns, frustrations, needs, and developmental opportunities of this population, particularly those relative to family, role identification, self-respect, communication, goal-setting, independence, servant leadership, and spirituality.
• Use of college male mentors to become trusted friends and guides to assist in modeling desired behaviors
• Kickoff: Saturday, October 3, 2009 at Cole Center, CAU
• Project Budget: $50,000.00 sponsored by Joseph E. Lowery Institute

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Mission to Malawi - International and Local AIDS Program

Goal: To educate Youth and Women in America and Malawi about HIV/AIDS and nutrition so they can make informed behavioral decisions and changes that effect their health and community.

Theory: According to the CDC, many people diagnosed with AIDS in their 20s were infected in their teenage years. HIV and AIDS have hit African-Americans and Africans the hardest.

Target Population: Youth in America from age 12-23. African youth and women of all ages in the community of Deya, outside the capitol city of Lilongwe, Malawi. The age expectancy in Malawi is 43. The average onset of AIDS in Malawi is 13-14. Participants will be tracked for a 5- year period.

Inputs: Experts on AIDS and AIDS education, Nutrition, clean water and well experts, teachers, college-aged youth, and health care professionals will be utilized as resources to develop the program. We will partner with the Camillia Rose Links Chapter of Atlanta. We will utilize most of the materials already developed as well as customize materials to ensure that we have both age appropriate and materials that are culturally sensitive to the needs of our target population. Theresa Mallila, Director of Somebody Cares in Malawi, will provide guidance on cultural considerations necessary to influence and cater to an African audience.

Strategies: We will use our Agents of Change Mentors to develop and implement a curriculum to be presented to target audience. The Mentors themselves will be educated on AIDS and that education will be further enhanced by active participation in the development and implementation of the Program. A one day Teen-to-Teen training session will be developed to present information to the target audience in America in a colorful and engaging manner utilizing the Mentors as the majority of presenters. While AIDS prevention is a key priority, a part of the program will focus on enhanced decision making, dealing with peer pressure, avoiding substance use (i.e., alcohol and drugs), sexual activity, and building self-respect. These are integral parts of our ongoing Agents of Change program. Several of the Mentors will travel to Malawi on a 14 day Mission trip to teach an expanded AIDS Education program and serve in other capacities, bearing witness to the devastating impact AIDS has on that community, which will further their understanding of the importance of AIDS education and behavior modification. In Malawi, we will make use of materials that are sensitive to their culture. This knowledge will enhance their ability to expand future sessions. Other efforts while in Malawi will include Medical Mission work where Malaria medication and mosquito nets will be provided to reduce increased infection of Malaria and decrease deaths caused by the disease. Clean water initiatives will help reduce premature death and morbidity issues. Continued involvement in the communities will produce many other opportunities for service, ultimately including schools and community centers which will allow them to grow and flourish.

Outputs: Development of the curriculum with the college aged Mentors will allow for exchange and education about HIV/AIDs. Pre and post surveys utilized before the development of the Program with the Mentors and pre and post seminar surveys for the participants will be utilized to measure the growth and comprehension of the subject matter. Post trip surveys will also be developed to measure the increased impact and behavior modifications made as a result of participation on the Mission trip. Comparisons for those who traveled and those who participated in the America program only will help assess the impact the African experience has on the Mentors. Somebody Cares will conduct continued seminars in Malawi and utilize the surveys to assess continued behavior modification.

Short-Term Outcomes:

Indicators- Surveys will be utilized to measure increased knowledge and perception of how AIDS affects them personally and if any changes have occurred in their attitudes, beliefs, or actions.

Mid Term Outcomes:

Follow up surveys will focus on how behaviors have changed as a result of participation in program with the US participants.

Surveys in Malawi will be conducted to determine if attitudes have begun to shift. Number of people who volunteer for AIDS testing before the Program versus after the Program.

Indicators-

Long-Term Outcomes: The underlying goals were to encourage and support the prevention of HIV/AIDS, to change behaviors, and to encourage treatment for those affected. Surveys and follow up seminars will be utilized to measure percentage of AIDS and health improvements in comparison to national statistics of populations where efforts were not made. In Malawi, Somebody Cares will track the health of the community of Deya and who participates in the program.

The number of people in Malawi willing to get tested for HIV increases.

Among the the number of people who test positive for HIV, increase number of those who seek treatment.

Access to Clean Water will increase the community’s health.

Increased utilization of safe sex practices as measured by post implementation surveys.