Circle of Hope

A conceptual model was developed to guide the work of the Initiative. The basic tenets were drawn from the work done by the partner organizations with AIDS-affected communities in Africa. The Circle of Hope conceptual model focuses on approaches that are culturally and socially appropriate, and ones that can be applied on a much larger scale than currently exist. The model and the Initiative are based on the following three fundamental principles, which address issues along the destigmatization - prevention - care - mitigation continuum of HIV/AIDS: child-focused, community-focused, and integrated.

PRINCIPLE 1: Child Focused

Children are in the center of the conceptual model because they represent the next generation of potentially infected young adults. Additionally, activities focused on children directly impact their families, thus families are the second level of the Circle of Hope model. Prevention, care and support interventions focused on children can stem the tide of the pandemic, preventing new infections in the next generation.

PRINCIPLE 2: Community Focused

African families and communities are the front-line caregivers, critical to addressing the enormous challenges confronting the millions of orphans and vulnerable children. Building the capacity of communities to better care for orphans and vulnerable children is the primary focus of the Initiative. Informed by African community, local and national efforts, the Hope for African Children Initiative plans to focus resources and technical support on strengthening them to expand coverage.

PRINCIPLE 3: Integrated

The needs of orphans and vulnerable children do not exist in isolation. Orphans and vulnerable children share the same needs that all children experience in the course of normal growth and development, but, in addition, face the daunting challenges of HIV/AIDS in their families. Although no single intervention, or even a small set of interventions, will address all these needs, the Hope for African Children Initiative will take into account the destigmatization - prevention-care-mitigation continuum.