About SSLN | South to South Learning Network

We have been implementing the SSLN since 2020

15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa

5 pillars of HIV prevention (Condoms, Key Populations, Adolescent Girls and Young Women, PrEP, Adolescent boys and men)

3 Languages (English, French, Portuguese)

In 2023 we added the ‘Insight-2-Implementation (i2i)’ arm to the SSLN, where we support countries to better utilise evidence to inform decision making

Condom

PrEP

ABM

AGYW

Objectives of SSLN

The SSLN aims to support the Global HIV Prevention Coalition (GPC) to strengthen country HIV prevention programmes through activating powerful leaders who co-create and implement contextually relevant HIV prevention solutions

Assess and identify programmatic gaps and priorities for their HIV prevention response

Document, share and replicate promising HIV prevention practices

Build social capital among HIV programme managers and implementers to provide safe spaces for joint problem-solving

Strengthen NSP development, PEPFAR COP planning and Global Fund grant applications for HIV prevention programming

Optimise HIV prevention implementation for improved results, and

Contribute towards global knowledge into country HIV prevention programmes as it relates to programme management, implementation, sustainability and outcomes

The Process

Our Theory of change has been instrumental in outlining the impact of the network. In many cases we have clear examples of countries moving towards global AIDS targets.

Inputs

The SSLN Learning Network engagement is established

Consistent participation and utilisation of SSLN resources

Immediate Outcomes

Country Champion individual-level HIV prevention related capability and effectiveness is strengthened

Intermediate Outcomes

National HIV prevention programming increasingly align to normative guidance

Impact

Accelerated progress towards achieving national-level HIV prevention targets

Goal

Achievement of sustained epidemic control

We adopt a consultative and country-led approach

We follow a process that allows for country ownership and structured objective based learning amongst peers.

Countries nominate Country Champions – we have > 600 nominated Champions from government, community, implementers and development partners.

We support Country Champions to complete Self Assessments – 130 country self-assessments have been completed to date

Based on this we co-develop Learning Agendas, TA plans and Action Plans which are targeted and respond to the gaps and strengths

We curate and facilitate implementation of learning agendas and TA plans – by harnessing and carefully documenting and sharing the experiences and social capital that exists in the Network.

We also provide ongoing support to countries through in-house country engagement leads and technical experts

We have identified and engaged with over 600 country champions across Africa

Country Champions groups include representatives from: National AIDS Councils; Ministries of Health; other relevant Ministries; Civil society Organisations; Community Networks; UN agency representatives; Implementing partners & Development partners

View our Champions

At a national level, SSLN Country Champions are identified and nominated through existing country structures

Country Champions groups include representatives from: National AIDS Councils; Ministries of Health; other relevant Ministries; Civil society Organisations; Community Networks; UN agency representatives; Implementing partners & Development partners

We assist Country Champions to:

Lead on completing and validating the PSAT and/or PSAT lite in your country.

Co-develop, or update, the country action plans, learning agendas and technical assistance plans.

Co-own, co-facilitate and coordinate implementing the learning agenda, technical assistance plan and country action plans.

Communicate key insights from SSLN learning activities to relevant internal or external stakeholders.

Commit to, and actively engage in, the learning network (includes developing or strengthening professional relationships with counterparts within and across countries and participate consistently in learning events and use SSLN resources (technical assistance, facilitated documentation, literature, case studies and normative guidance)

Support the use and dissemination of the learnings to address the knowledge to action gap.

The SSLN began with Phase I, which ran from 2020 to 2022.

A trusted learning platform that Connects and Supports south-south collaboration and dialogue through Facilitated self-reflection, Shared learnings and Application of good practices and tools to Catalyse social capital, Leverage resources and Optimise country actions towards achieving the global agenda.

To date, we have supported countries to complete over 104 PSATs and 30 PSAT lites

All countries start with an assessment of their current programmes through the UNAIDS HIV Prevention Self-Assessment Tool (PSAT) - we then tailor a learning agenda to their needs and implement through a range of activities

The condom PSATs were quite informative and quite revealing. The PSATs put the programmes into manageable bits and we feel all the other programmes need this.

- Uganda

The PSAT tool has been an eye-opener for our country programme. It has helped us to identify critical areas that need improvement, which we have often overlooked or neglected.

- Malawi

Completed PSATs

Completed PSAT Lites

To date we have designed and implemented 288 bespoke learning activities

From broad based high reach activities, to in-depth/deep support

We have mastered the art of creating impactful learning activities and outputs across formats and channels.

We have invested in building personal in-country relationships with our SSLN Country Champions and work with them to follow up learning to action and ultimately impact at a country and regional level.

We have embraced digital platforms and AI to improve efficiencies in the way we work and to engage country stakeholders in new and innovative ways.

Our Mission

A trusted learning platform that connects and supports south-south collaboration and dialogue through facilitated self-reflection, shared learnings, and application of insights 2 implementation to optimise country actions toward precision HIV prevention and achievement of the global HIV prevention agenda.

Together, we can make a bigger impact toward HIV prevention goals

The SSLN was conceived in 2019 when Global HIV Prevention Coalition leaders proposed a peer-focused learning network to enhance HIV prevention programming.

We have been implementing the SSLN since 2020

Objectives of SSLN

Assess and identify programmatic gaps and priorities for their HIV prevention response

Document, share and replicate promising HIV prevention practices

Build social capital among HIV programme managers and implementers to provide safe spaces for joint problem-solving

Strengthen NSP development, PEPFAR COP planning and Global Fund grant applications for HIV prevention programming

Optimise HIV prevention implementation for improved results, and

Contribute towards global knowledge into country HIV prevention programmes as it relates to programme management, implementation, sustainability and outcomes

The Process

Inputs

Immediate Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Impact

Goal

Inputs

Immediate Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Impact

Goal

We adopt a consultative and country-led approach

Countries nominate Country Champions – we have > 600 nominated Champions from government, community, implementers and development partners.

We support Country Champions to complete Self Assessments – 130 country self-assessments have been completed to date

Based on this we co-develop Learning Agendas, TA plans and Action Plans which are targeted and respond to the gaps and strengths

We curate and facilitate implementation of learning agendas and TA plans – by harnessing and carefully documenting and sharing the experiences and social capital that exists in the Network.

We also provide ongoing support to countries through in-house country engagement leads and technical experts

We have identified and engaged with over 600 country champions across Africa

At a national level, SSLN Country Champions are identified and nominated through existing country structures

We assist Country Champions to:

Lead on completing and validating the PSAT and/or PSAT lite in your country.

Co-develop, or update, the country action plans, learning agendas and technical assistance plans.

Co-own, co-facilitate and coordinate implementing the learning agenda, technical assistance plan and country action plans.

Communicate key insights from SSLN learning activities to relevant internal or external stakeholders.

Support the use and dissemination of the learnings to address the knowledge to action gap.

The SSLN began with Phase I, which ran from 2020 to 2022.

To date, we have supported countries to complete over 104 PSATs and 30 PSAT lites

To date we have designed and implemented 288 bespoke learning activities

We have mastered the art of creating impactful learning activities and outputs across formats and channels.

We have invested in building personal in-country relationships with our SSLN Country Champions and work with them to follow up learning to action and ultimately impact at a country and regional level.

We have embraced digital platforms and AI to improve efficiencies in the way we work and to engage country stakeholders in new and innovative ways.

Our Mission

Our Partners