Table 1.

Summary of the READY curriculum

#	Title and Topic
Module 1: Economic Empowerment
1	Local Resources Introduce READY and provide an overview of the program goals and structure. Present the metaphor of the family as a growing tree that carries throughout the intervention. Discuss local resources in the community that can be used for income generating activities and the advantages of working together to reach financial goals. Facilitate family communication for making a specific income generation plan.
2	Family Budgeting Discuss matching spending to family values. Provide instruction and simple tools for creating family budgets. Facilitate family communication to prioritize needs based on input from all members and to create a budget.
3	Planning for the Future Discuss the benefits of saving money and creative ways to save when income is very low. Invite representatives from local savings and loaning organization from the community to present information on services. Facilitate family communication about challenges to saving and generating potential savings strategies.
Module 2: Emotional Support: “Building a…”
4	…Loving and Supportive Family Discuss ways to build positive communication habits in daily interactions. Provide communication skills training, emphasizing respect, encouragement, appreciation, and listening skills. Discuss using skills to respond to others’ emotional distress. Facilitate family communication about negative emotions and practice of communication skills.
5	…Family that Can Cope with Stress Together Discuss stressors facing families, both internal and contextual, and current ways of responding. Teach emotion- and problem-focused coping skills. Teach steps for problem-solving and facilitate in-session practice. Facilitate family communication to identify family-specific coping skills.
Module 3: Learning about HIV Together: “Building a Family That…”
6	…Learns about HIV Together Provide information about HIV/AIDS and address common myths through games in which each family is a team. Facilitate family communication about their remaining questions about HIV/AIDS.
7	…Talks about HIV and Sexuality Discuss complex emotions that arise when discussing HIV/AIDS and sex-related topics. Raise awareness of mixed messages youths receive about sexual behavior and the cultural and religious factors related to these messages. Facilitate family communication about their emotional responses.
8	…Learns About Safe and Healthy Sexuality Together Discuss positive messages that can be shared with adolescents related to sexuality. Discuss situations in which sexual behavior decision-making is difficult and effective responses. Teach and demonstrate correct condom use.† Facilitate caregivers talking with youth about messages they think are most important related to sexuality and HIV.
Conclusion
9	Getting READY to Continue Change! Review material from each module. Discuss ways that economic, emotional, and issues related to HIV/sexuality-related issues interact to affect family well-being. Facilitate family goal-setting. Church leader leads conclusion of session to discuss a church-wide plan for continuing activities related to READY domains. Give certificates for program participation.

^†Condom education and demonstrations were provided at the church leaders’ discretion; all decided to include this component.