| Masikhulisane – SAAVI’s Community Involvement Programme
 HIV Vaccine Info-Line
080 822 2463
080 VACCINE
Programme Manager: Elise Levendal
Tel: +27 938-0552
E-mail: elise.levendal@mrc.ac.za
Who is Masikhulisane?
Masikhulisane, is SAAVI’s Community Involvement Programme, our name meaning ‘Let’s grow together’. Masikhulisane was formed in 2004 following a second successful grant application to the European Commission (EC), and evaluation of the South African HIV Vaccine Action Campaign (SA HIVAC). The SA HIVAC project was established as a result of a first contract with the European Commission (EC), which began in 2000.
Vision
Currently Masikhulisane’s Vision is to see: A South African society working in a mutually beneficial and meaningful partnership with researchers in a vibrant human and legal rights environment.
Mission
In line with our Vision, Masikhulisane’s Mission is to create a sustainable, accountable learning organisation founded on a human rights ethos, to ensure an informed and educated South African society with strengthened, active and sustained community involvement in the HIV vaccine-development process (this includes research, development and testing of HIV vaccines).
Main Activities
To achieve this Mission, Masikhulisane focuses on the following activities:
- HIV vaccine awareness-raising and education workshops with groups from different sectors of the South African society,;
- research and capacity development in community involvement, and human rights, legal and ethical issues related to HIV vaccines;
- facilitating collaborative activities to encourage knowledge exchange between national, regional and international role-players involved in the HIV vaccine-development process. For example local knowledge exchange takes place through Community Advisory Group/Board (CAB) and Vaccine Educator forums hosted annually at a national level; and,
- provision of a toll-free HIV Vaccine Info-Line for the general public.
Label: Masikhulisane focuses on different sectors of society which are represented by groups at local, regional and international level.
Masikhulisane’s education and awareness-raising workshops are based on the principles of an adult education. These principles are carried through in standardised education materials including the Masikhulisane HIV Vaccines Facilitator’s Manual and HIV Vaccines Learner Handbook.
The programme’s awareness-raising materials include an introductory brochure on HIV vaccines. A set of fact sheets on various aspects of HIV vaccine research and development has also been developed. To access copies of any of these materials, please e-mail the Masikhulisane Materials Developer at: patricia.southwood@mrc.ac.za.
How Masikhulisane understands community involvement
Masikhulisane sees community involvement as an ongoing, long-term engagement with communities through consultation and dialogue about all parts of the HIV vaccine-development process. Here community involvement includes ‘Community preparedness’ which is seen as the preparation of a community around a trial site where an HIV vaccine will be tested.
In line with this understanding, Masikhulisane has developed the following documents which can be downloaded by clicking on the links: SAAVI Guidelines for Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) and a SAAVI Preventative HIV Vaccine Trial Participant Charter of Rights. A community involvement model is also being developed. This model is based on the experience of the programme and is in line with good community practice.
Programme structure
Currently Masikhulisane is headed by a Programme Manager, who manages a team of staff including a Programme Administrator, several Vaccine Educators across the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, a Materials Developer, and a Human Rights, Legal and Ethics Advisor. Masikhulisane is SAAVI's Community Involvement programme, and is located and is part of the South African Medical Research Council (MRC).
For more information on the programme, please e-mail: patricia.southwood@mrc.ac.za.
Or, to request a workshop or presentation on HIV vaccines, please contact the Masikhulisane Community Educators at one of the following numbers:
- Pretoria (012) 339-8616
- Cape Town (021) 938-0599
- Durban (031) 203-4737
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