What Works for Women and Girls

ates of loan repayment and business success. Zimbabwe’s weak economy was blamedfor the economic failures (Lukas, 2008). (Gray III) (adolescents, microcredit, education,Zimbabwe)In Haiti, between 2005 and 2007, 420 women who were screened for HIV infectionat GHESKIO, a CSO, of whom 57% were HIV-positive, received a loan from a microfinanceinstitution following evaluation and training on business development. Of thewomen, 85% reported that the loans had improved their life conditions. The womenwere followed for a median of 12 months from the time of the first loan until the mostrecent clinic visit. Loan repayment was high: 93% for HIV-negative women and 82% forwomen living with HIV (Deschamps et al., 2008). (Gray IV) (HIV testing, microfinance,Haiti)Four years after an income-generating HIV prevention project for youth was initiatedin Ewo, Republic of Congo, a follow up inquiry found that 24.2% of the youth were stillinvolved in income generating activities. The follow up visit in 2006 used focus groupsand a cross sectional survey of 372 young people ages 15–24, selected from four zonesthrough cluster sampling to explore practices associated with risk of HIV in youngpeople. Youth reported that, for those who continued with the income-generating activities,these activities provided them with money and, for some, skills training, whichfor the girls especially, reduced their dependency on others. Few (5%) reported havingsexual intercourse with a new sexual partner without using a condom and this wassignificantly lower in those currently involved in income generating activities. Youngpeople involved in agriculture, however, reported higher levels of sexual intercoursewith a new sexual partner without using a condom. The focus group discussions pointedout that farm activities were carried out in neighboring villages and some on a seasonalbasis. This may imply an increase on other risk factors such as insecure income, exposureto non-familiar adults and mobility. Further assessment is needed, however, tounderstand the factors driving the behavior of the young people involved in agriculture.Researchers found that for the youth in Ewo, there are four dimensions of incomegenerating activities that are reported to be important for reducing susceptibility to HIV:the revenue they earned, the control/autonomy it brings to their lives, the training andnew skills and the occupation of time in useful activity. Mobility and exposure to nonfamiliaradults in insecure forms of activity may counter some of these beneficial effects(Boungou, 2007). (Gray V) (employment, youth, risk behavior, training programs, Republicof Congo)A time-usage study in 1999 that analyzed data on education, work, and organized activitiesamong 2,992 youths ages 14–22 in two South African districts found that employmentopportunities decreased the odds of sexual activity among girls and higher wagesfor both boys and girls were associated with increased condom use. For example, girlswere about one-third less likely to have had sex in the last year in communities whereyouth generally made more money from working and were almost two and a half times320 CHAPTER 11 STRENGTHENING THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT