Enhancing Nigerian Capacity for AIDS Prevention (ENCAP) Program

With about three million people infected with HIV out of a population estimated at 155 million, Nigeria has the third largest burden of HIV infection in the world. The epidemic in Nigeria is currently classified as general with all the states affected.  However, there is a definite band of high prevalence traversing the North-Central through the South-East and the South-South regions. Causes of the epidemic identified in the national prevention plan include but are not limited to informal sex that is paid for, multiple sexual partnerships, inability to recognize situations that pose high risk, and lack of established sexually transmitted infections programming for most at risk population.  Other causes are the continuing risky behavior of males in the general population and women’s social status which makes it difficult to negotiate safer sex.

 

The Enhancing Nigerian Capacity for AIDS Prevention (ENCAP) project is a five-year, $10 million USAID-funded activity that works with 25 local non-governmental, faith and community-based organizations to build their organizational and technical capacity to better implement sustainable community HIV prevention programs. 

 

ENCAP works in Bayelsa, Rivers, Benue, Taraba, and Ebonyi States and the Federal Capital Territory.  ENCAP focuses on building the capacity of partner organizations in a way that is cost effective and sustainable over the long term.  Capacity building interventions promote organizational development and building skills in management, leadership and governance, finance and accounting, grant management, human resources, strategic planning, and business development/resource mobilization. This enables ENCAP partners to establish and maintain requisite governance, planning, financial controls, and support systems to effectively implement programs and achieve results in an accountable, transparent manner.  The ENCAP project also collaborates with Government agencies at both national and state levels to support and contribute meaningfully to their overall coordination role.  It similarly engages civil society networks and other stakeholders to explore synergies to maximize the effectiveness of prevention interventions.

 

Program Snapshot

• Project Name: Enhancing Nigeria Capacity for AIDS Prevention (ENCAP) Project
• Life of Project: 2010- 2015
• Budget: $9,294,000
• Geographic Areas: Bayelsa, Benue, Ebonyi, Rivers, Taraba States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)