Alliance awarded significant funding to expand the role of networks of people living with HIV in Uganda

28 July 2006

The Alliance is bringing its capacity building strengths with civil society organisations to a new project in Uganda. USAID PEPFAR has awarded the Alliance just under US $3 million to expand the role of networks of people living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda over three years. The agreement, which will operate at sub-district, district, and national level runs from 10 July 2006 until July 2009.

The project has four broad aims:

  1. To increase the access of people living with HIV to prevention, care and treatment services, through the increased involvement of networks and groups of people living with HIV from the national to the community level. People living with HIV will be involved both as service deliverers and as beneficiaries.
  2. To increase the access of people living with HIV and their families to support services, such as orphan support, nutritional programmes and income-generating initiatives.
  3. To build the organisational capacity of networks of people living with HIV to strengthen their sustainability, and to influence the national response.
  4. To support innovative approaches by groups of people living with HIV at sub-district and community levels.

Treatment, care, support and other community services often operate in isolation from groups of people living with HIV in Uganda, working for the benefit of rather than in true partnership with them. Opportunities for referrals are missed, and community resources – such as for treatment support – go untapped. This project hopes to change that, and to involve people living with HIV, their families, and their communities, in influencing, supporting, and delivering more effective health and community services.

The Alliance has already been working in partnerships in Uganda, and as part of the project, the Alliance will link with key networks and service providers (both PEPFAR, and non-PEPFAR projects), such as CORE, to provide wrap-around services, such as food and nutrition projects and support for orphans and vulnerable children.