The issue
Most school-based HIV/AIDS interventions in sub-Saharan Africa rely on teachers as behavior-formation and behavior-change agents for children. Yet, very few HIV/AIDS programs target teachers as the direct beneficiaries. The Kenyan education sector is no different. School-based programs have focused on educating school children about HIV/AIDS while by-passing the teachers. To address this gap, a pilot teacher-centered HIV/AIDS prevention and care workplace program is being implemented in two districts in Kenya. This is part of an operations research project that is using a quasi-experimental approach to document the impact of the peer education intervention on teachers’ attitudes and behaviors. This paper describes the intervention.

Description
In April 2006 teachers from 120 schools were trained to be peer educators. Training was based on a self-teaching life-skills manual developed by UNICEF. Peer educators meet with teachers once a week to discuss a topic from the manual. Resource persons are invited to discuss technical topics. Behavior change communication materials are distributed, and the education-sector workplace policy has been disseminated. Appropriate referrals for VCT, treatment, care, and support are made where necessary.

Emerging lessons
The project has received immense support from the school managers and education-sector officials. Teachers have been willing and open to learn, and have gone out of their way to create time for the sessions. The peer educators feel they are contributing positively to the changes taking place among the teachers, and therefore feel internally motivated to continue educating their peers. The sessions have fostered dialogue on subjects that were otherwise considered taboo, such as sex and sexuality. Teachers have reported a reduction in stigma and discrimination for HIV-positive teachers. Initially, teachers displayed a considerable amount of fear about going for HIV testing. However, during the peer educators' training, a third of them tested for HIV for the first time. The rest of the teachers are now aware of the benefits of testing, and many have shown an intention to go for the test. Given the busy school timetable, the main challenge to the program has been time. Another issue is that some teachers feel that they are knowledgeable about HIV and AIDS and refuse to attend. However, the program is having a positive impact in the personal lives of teachers, especially by instilling a sense of comfort in discussing HIV/AIDS.