Southern Africa: Regional HIV and AIDS Consortium Appeal No. MAA63002, Report 2006-2007

Appeal No. MAA63002

This report covers the period of 01/01/2006 to 31/12/2006 of a two-year planning and appeal process.

In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, the International Federation with its global network, works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.

In brief

Programme Summary:

The Southern Africa regional HIV and AIDS Consortium project has been running since 2002 and was closed 31 December 2006. The remaining funds were transferred to the Regional HIV and AIDS Programme 2006-2010 (MAA63003) - which was launched on 1 November 2006 - after consultation with the donors involved.

Care and Support: Southern Africa Red Cross Societies have strong home-based care (HBC) projects reaching over 60,000 clients and 100,000 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). These National Societies are supported with material, emotional, psycho-social and educational support. Approximately 6,000 volunteers provide nursing care and support services to HBC clients and OVC. The need for sustainable nutritional support cannot be over emphasized, and empowerment of people living with HIV (PLHIV) with skills for positive living as well as income-generating activities is critical.

HIV Prevention: The ten National Societies continued to conduct HIV prevention activities including youth peer education as well as HIV awareness through campaigns and drama. With support from the International Federation Regional Delegation in Harare, the National Societies made a humanitarian decision to scale-up the HIV prevention component through the new five-year HIV and AIDS programme by targeting to reach 10 per cent of their respective country populations. Focus will be on promoting life skills for personal protection, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, information, education and behaviour change communication, as well as prevention of parent-to-child transmission (PPTCT). A total of 50 million people are targeted to be reached by 2010.

Advocacy: Partnerships are being strengthened with other organizations with good practices in advocacy such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the National Association of PLHIV (NAP+), the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Global Network of PLHIV (GNP+).

In the sub-region, progress has been made in forging practical partnerships with the national networks for PLHIV. National Societies have developed joint plans with the National AIDS Councils, and continue to collaborate during implementation. A multimedia communication strategy on PPTCT is being developed and will be implemented in 2007.

Goal: To contribute to the reduction of HIV and AIDS transmission, and to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable people infected and affected by HIV.

Needs: Total 2006-2007 budget CHF 5,787,999 (USD 4,759,867 or EUR 3,572,839), out of which 72.3 per cent covered. The expenditure for 2006 in total was CHF 3,316,661, and the funds were spent on prevention, care, treatment and support including OVC and advocacy activities. Interest accumulated to about CHF 3,442.

For more detailed information on the 2006 activities, please see Programme Update 1 and 2:

Programme Update no. 1: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/annual06/MAA6300201.pdf

Programme Update no. 2: http://www.ifrc.org/docs/appeals/annual06/MAA6300202.pdf

No. of people helped: The programme benefited approximately 60,000 PLHIV. Nearly 100,000 OVC and over five million people were reached with prevention messages in all ten countries of the Southern Africa region.

The Namibia Red Cross supported 33,000 OVC with food through the World Food Programme (WFP), while the South Africa Red Cross Society provided assistance to 50 adult and 25 OVC support groups.