Go Together, Know Together: T minus 4 days

Accomplishment of the day: The couples HIV counseling and testing trainer's manuals and participant's handbooks were printed and delivered, just in time for the 2-day training of trainers (ToT) at AIDS Information Center, which began today under the capable supervision of master trainers from AIC and MoH, and had a roomful of dynamic trainers eager for new content and ready to roll out the training with counselors in our 8 districts. Challenge of the day: This itty bitty little "Note to the trainer" box on page 32.
It reads, "At this point in the training, participants may raise the question of providing services to same sex couples. Although same sex couples are not legalized in Uganda, by the definition of a couple used in this training, 'Two individuals involved in or intending to have sexual relations', all couples are entitled to receive services. Ethically, services cannot be denied to anyone who seeks them."

Despite the fact that this was discussed multiple times in the review meetings and the pilot test, and that all involved agreed that we would include a brief disclaimer indicating that you cannot deny services to anyone that comes to test, it apparently caused an uproar in the ToT, with participants accusing us (me) of "smuggling" it in, and grave concerns that the Ministry of Health would be seen as promoting homosexuality, which is, without hyperbole, a crime a Uganda. I was instructed to remove it immediately and ensure all versions containing this text are destroyed.

Sure. When you've already written 4,562 versions of a 193-page training manual, what's a 4,563rd?

Silver lining of the day: The printer did a really poor job on this initial print run, so the Ministry was going to re-print everything anyway. Trainer's manual, participant's handbook, and PowerPoint Slides revised accordingly, put on CD, and with the Ministry to go for printing (again).

In other news, t-shirts are in, nametags are designed, and there have been more billboard sightings:

We also got a really cool pitch this afternoon by One, Ltd, who saw Jude and Dr. B's WBS interview last night, and felt they had the perfect product for us. Which they do, and which I'll tell you more about when it's up and running. And, another hour-long tv interview by Jude and Dr. Akol on UBC at 10:30pm tonight!