The Zambia Health Education & Communications Trust (ZHECT) was established and registered with the Registrar of Societies in October 2001 and started operations in April 2002 as a health education and service provision non-governmental not for profit organization. The organization was formed with the view to offer support to government, workplaces, communities, individuals as well as small local community organisations who are involved in the implementation of health programmes with emphasis on HIV prevention, provision of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) interventions through Social Behaviour Change Communications as well as distribution of SRH commodities and materials. ZHECT work has always been focusing much on highly vulnerable communities.
During its 17 years of existence, ZHECT has accumulated a wealth of experience in undertaking health programs in the public and private sectors providing SRH and HIV prevention and mitigation services to organizations and communities mainly in Zambia but also within Southern and East African Communities. In the Private Sector, ZHECT’s programs included those under the SHARe I and II projects that covered close to 40 organizations and the Zambia Led Prevention Initiative projects. The target private sector organizations ZHECT worked with included large mining companies like Lumwana, brewery companies, large commercial farming units, communications enterprises, hospitality industry among many and most of which attract high risk populations.
The wealth of experience was affirmed by ZHECT being contracted by Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) to develop for it an Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Manual for School Teachers and Community Facilitators that is being used in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Zambia.
ZHECT’s work covers 8 thematic areas which all fall under the umbrella of PREVENTION. These include; Social Behaviour Change Communications and Service delivery in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections including Cervical Cancer, unplanned pregnancies, as well as providing Care and Support, Counselling and Testing for HIV Linkage Creation for high impact services (including Antiretroviral Therapy, Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision), Capacity Building, Organisational Development, Advocacy and Networking as well as Research & Development in the specific field of Sexual and Reproductive Health, ZHECT has extensive experience in integrating SHR, HIV and Gender Based Violence (GBV) interventions at community level
Through programme implementation of Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) interventions, ZHECT has strengthened the capacity of government, private health institutions, civil society and community-based organizations as well as individuals to use evidence-based SBCC to advocate for equitable health services that reach vulnerable communities. ZHECT also works to empower individuals and groups among vulnerable populations such as youth in general, men who have sex with men (MSMs) and transgender people, sex workers, young women and girls, discordant couples and poor families living in rural areas to become more involved in determining their own life styles and work together with them by providing health services directly and advocating for equal access to healthcare.