Objective: To fight HIV/AIDS in Africa by increasing awareness among drivers for the dangers of HIV/AIDS and to provide them with counseling as well.

Commitment: Together with TNT, WFP has decided to expand what started as an in-house training programme into an external project that will eventually target truck drivers across Africa and Asia. To reach this target group that is constantly on the move, and to overcome the stigmas associated with HIV/AIDS, TNT and WFP will place mobile ‘Wellness Centers’ along the major transport routes. Drivers will be able to stop at one of the converted containers to get free advice and counseling on a range of health issues, but with a strong HIV/AIDS component.

Background: The alarming rates at which HIV/AIDS is being spread along Africa’s transport corridors is a well-known problem. As a major transporter in Africa, WFP wanted to make sure that its own truck drivers were not contributing to this problem. A TNT project manager is testing the concept using two converted containers around the Blantyre area in southern Malawi. Upon the successful completion of the pilot in September-October 2005, TNT and WFP will then move towards a roll-out across Malawi. With more support and backing the intention is to then move to a roll-out across Africa and Asia within the next few years.

TNT and WFP have expanded their cooperation on this project to include other key partners including the government of Malawi, UNICEF, WHO and UNAIDS. Other business sectors, such as the milling industry, have also expressed their interest. TNT and WFP hope that through the CGI network they will be able to expand interest and involvement in the project, and also make others aware of the mutual benefits that their unique form of partnership can bring to private and public sector organizations.

In 2005 TNT dedicated $12 million to the ‘Moving the World’ partnership with WFP, most of which has been used in knowledge-transfer projects and hands-on support. TNT and WFP have been able to create a win-win situation that has improved both organisations while tackling the greatest logistics challenge of all: fighting world hunger. For more information on the partnership visit http://group.tnt.com/wfp

Partnership Opportunity: The early success of the Wellness Center model demonstrates tremendous potential for scale up throughout the southern Africa region. It is not inconceivable that the services provided through a scaled up Wellness Center network could protect millions of people from HIV and help keep HIV-positive drivers productive and healthy. What is needed now is a steady, reliable source of funding to expand coverage to the most important trucking routes in the region. TNT and WFP in partnership with the Swedish SIDA, the Spanish government (one time grant) and the Malawi Ministry of Health have already secured $960,000 of monetary and in-kind donations for this project.

Assuming that $5 million of funds can be secured in 2006 this would enable the start up of approximately 15 new Wellness Centers in five countries and the ongoing operation of these (plus the existing one in Mwanza, Malawi) for approximately three years. The key indicative assumptions used in this scenario are as follows:
1. Average implementing cost of first Wellness Center in new country = $200k (assumes feasibility study and consultative process with local stakeholders)
2. Average implementing cost per new Wellness Center in same country = $25k
3. Average annual running costs locally per Wellness Center = $55k
4. Annual management overheads (including ongoing guidance, monitoring and continuous improvement of Wellness Centers) = $10K per Center
5. Annual Consortium costs (including further fundraising initiatives) = $150k

Update:
December 2005:
Two TNT/WFP Wellness Centers have been launched and are open for business in Malawi, with extensive national and international media coverage. The Centers were opened at Mwanza, Malawi's busiest border crossing, handling 70% of all road freight into the southern African country, coming in from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Sex workers, truck drivers, store personnel and port workers now all have access to information, counseling on HIV and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases where and when they need it most. Additionally, TNT has reserved €227,300 to expand and improve the Wellness Centre project in Malawi in 2006.

January-March 2006:
Muyende Bwino Wellness Centre (Mwanza, Malawi) Statistics (statistics include both male and female):

1. Number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) treated: 471
2. Number of clients reached with Information, Education Communication (IEC) sessions: 3,568
3. Number of Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) referrals: 1,102

STI clinical services and treatment of common ailments are provided at the Mwanza site. Educational sessions, counseling and condoms are provided at the Blantyre warehouse site (33,529 condoms have been distributed as of this update). Hands-on staff training at both sites will be provided by an experienced coordinator visiting from the South Africa roadside clinic network. The WFP project manager will do a site visit to one of the roadside clinics in South Africa.