CDFU is one of the six Partner Organizations in the AFFORD Programme, a five year health marketing initiative funded by USAID. The initiative, which started in September 2005, is using an innovative model of marketing to achieve broad public health impact across Uganda. The public health issues addressed include; HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Reproductive Health/Family Planning, Child Survival and Pregnancy.

Under the AFFORD Project, CDFU is providing strategic communication support focusing on the network based community mobilization and behavior change. CDFU is taking lead on the Popular Opinion Leader (POL) intervention of the AFFORD project. The intervention involves establishing a network of POLs through Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and identifying and training these Popular Opinion Leaders as change agents. The POLs are also used as an avenue for delivering messages about health areas addressed by AFFORD.

AFFORD developed a training guide for the trainers of the POLs. During ‘Training of Trainers’ workshop, trainers from Community Based Partner Organizations are oriented on how to use the training guide. These trainers in turn train the POLs with assistance from AFFORD. The POLs discuss with the community members about the health issues addressed by the programme and direct people to available health services and products. In 2006 more than 200 Popular Opinion Leaders were trained to disseminate health information, address myths & rumours and refer people to appropriate health services.