n the rural community of Choongo, Zambia, villagers live by certain codes: a man’s wealth and status are measured by the number of wives and children he has; the husband is in charge of the family; and open talk about sex is impermissible. Together these beliefs make curbing the spread of HIV a challenge. But, thanks to NPI partner Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), a growing dialogue between men and women on previously taboo subjects is making a change for the better.

Recognizing the influence men can have over their wives and female partners in Zambia, CMMB launched Men Taking Action (MTA) in 2006, a program aimed at increasing male involvement in HIV and AIDS prevention. MTA, which operates in all nine of Zambia’s provinces, is changing attitudes and practices that contribute to the spread of HIV and prevent women from taking the necessary steps to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to their babies.

Phinias Matoto, a father of eight and husband of two, is one of the many villagers involved in the program. When the headman of Phinias’ village asked him to attend an MTA discussion on preventing mother-to-children transmission of HIV at the local antenatal care clinic with his pregnant wife, Philias was surprised but curious. According to him, normally “real men cannot even go near a place where [these] services are offered.”  

At the meeting, Phinias, his wife, and a group of a dozen other men and women from their community learned what steps they could take to avoid contracting HIV or passing it on to their children. They talked about knowing one’s HIV/AIDS status, avoiding risky sexual behaviors, breastfeeding and a man’s role in stopping the spread of the disease—all traditionally forbidden topics to discuss so openly. As Phinias recalls, “it was amazing that my friends could speak so freely and passionately on the critical role that a man can play in protecting his wife and children from getting infected with HIV.”

Following the meeting, Phinias and his wives joined other couples in receiving counseling and getting tested for HIV. All tested negative and have come away from the experience with a new sense of closeness and devotion. Phinias now talks about HIV prevention with his family regularly and is taking proactive steps to ensure that everyone remains HIV and AIDS free. Not only have he and his wives renewed their commitment to be faithful to one another, but Phinias has further made an effort to help with household chores, like fetching water from a distant pump and gathering firewood, to reduce the risk of sexual assault that his wives often face when performing such tasks.

The impact of CMMB’s work in Phinias’s community and throughout Zambia is impressive. Nearly 30,000 men have attended a session like the one Phinias went to, and about 19,000 couples chose to be tested for HIV/AIDS as a result, a remarkable achievement in a country where only 3% of couples know their status. Just as importantly, thanks to CMMB more men are contributing to the fight against HIV/AIDS, and many traditional village leaders are becoming champions for healthy behavior change.