The dRPC in HIV/AIDS space
The dRPC is pioneering CSO in HIV/AIDS programming in Nigeria. The dRPC’s formation May 1993, came just one year after Nigeria’s flagship AIDS Control and Prevention Project (AIDSCAP) rolled out. The dRPC made its debut in development programming in the HIV/AIDS control space, engaged by the then FHI Country Director and Program Manager of AIDSCAP Dr. Eka Williams to identify and support community based CSOs working with key populations of youth, long distance drivers, commercial sex workers, and Men-Who-Have Sex with Men. The dRPC supported AIDSCAP for 4 years in Cross River, Jigawa and Lagos States, identifying, strengthening and assessing the performance of CSOs in HIV Control in Nigeria.
The dRPC continued supporting the FHI ADISCAP follow-on project – IMPACT conducting community assessments, forming and building the capacity of the Network of Concerned Muslims in a Northen Nigeria Faith Focus HIV/AIDS intervention. Under the GHAIN follow on project, the dRPC was again engaged by FHI to carry out a community rapid assessment working in collaboration with partners and SACAs in Anambra, Cross River, Edo, Kano and Lagos States. The dRPC was also engaged to recruit all 35 community facing staff of the GAIN follow on project.
Since 1993 the dRPC has had 30 years of high-impact work in HIV/AIDS programming, identifying, strengthen and assess the role of CSOs, particularly CBOs in HIV/AIDS prevention and control. The dRPC’s role in CSOs capacity strengthening for HIV/AIDS programming is captured in independent evaluations and program reviews. For example, the Nigeria Final report May 1998–September 2007 USAID’s Implementing AIDS Prevention And Care (ImpACt) project noted:
“The Development Research and Project Center (dRPC) Project: HIV/AIDS and STI Faith-Focused Intervention. Summary: Project activities identified for implementation included formative research; advocacy and sensitization visits/mobilization of Islamic opinion leaders and scholars; and building partnerships between Islamic health personnel and Islamic opinion leaders and radio/TV programs. Other activities included forging networks of concerned Muslims; identification of and focus on arguments, barriers, and complexities of theological constraints on HIV/AIDS awareness; and exchange visits and experience sharing with similar projects”.
The development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) is registered intermediary non-profit organization established with a mission of strengthening the capacity (organizational and technical capacity) of civil society organizations to design and implement transformative and sustainable development interventions which engage government and address felt needs of the vulnerable and excluded such as women and girls.
Current Projects
