Setting and participants
MAY
Between May 2021 and August 2022, we conducted a cluster randomized study in 16 villages located in rural settings with high HIV prevalence in Southwestern Uganda (Ndeija) and Western Kenya (Homa Bay and Migori). We chose a cluster randomized trial design because the intervention was delivered in the village by CHWs, precluding individual randomization. Village inclusion criteria were location in a non‐adjacent geopolitical unit (i.e. a community with 9000–11,000 persons), served by a health facility providing antiretroviral therapy (ART), PrEP and PEP services, and with a community leader committed to study participation. Communities with ongoing HIV prevention interventions beyond country guidelines, in urban settings, and without a health centre providing ART, PrEP and PEP were excluded.Residents of the 16 villages were eligible for participation if they were aged ≥15 years, HIV negative by country‐standard HIV testing algorithm and reporting current or anticipated HIV risk. HIV risk was assessed using in‐country Ministry of Health (MoH) screening instrument for PrEP initiation and two general questions regarding self‐assessed risk of HIV acquisition currently or in the next 3 months.