HACI News

The Mini Satellite on Coalitions

HACI in conjunction with the Canadian Coalition on HIV/AIDS in Africa housed by CARE Canada organized a successful satellite meeting titled “Coalitions: Innovations in HIV and AIDS Programming”- during the recent International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada. The theme was based on the premise that as the pandemic continues to pose ever increasing challenges, today’s development environment is increasingly challenging the traditional method of HIV and AIDS services and program delivery. There is therefore, need to find new and innovative ways to increase program coverage and scale up of existing programming to more effectively mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS. One such mechanism is seen through the use of coalitions or consortiums of NGOs, FBOs, and CSOs.

The underlying message was that through such a consortium, different service providers can utilize the power of synergy to lower the cost of doing business, increase the sharing of lessons and reach a larger population over a shorter time with a broader range of services. There is a growing interest with donors in coalitions/consortiums as a viable, alternative model for delivering projects/programs that will complement existing delivery mechanisms. Both HACI and the Canadian Coalition are functioning examples of these delivery mechanisms. It was communicated that Hope for African Children’s Initiative was created to address Children’s needs regionally throughout Africa. There is a growing realization that the challenges that face orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS transcend national, institutional and family boundaries. This realization has necessitated a re-thinking of new and innovative approaches to address OVC issues in a continent ravaged by HIV/AIDS, war and poverty. It is on this premise that Plan, Network of African People Living with HIV/IADS, Care, Save the Children, World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) and Society of Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) come together to form HACI as a pan African partnership for OVC.

The Canadian Coalition on HIV/AIDS and Youth in Africa is a project that brings together four of Canada’s largest international development organizations to help children and youth affected by HIV and AIDS in Africa. These four organizations are CARE Canada, Foster Parents Plan, Save the Children Canada, and World Vision Canada. Collectively, they are addressing some of the most devastating health and social impacts of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in four countries in Africa: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mozambique.

During the meeting attended by between 40-60 people, HACI talked about its achievements, lessons learnt from working in a partnership, challenges and the need to publicize the Yellow Ribbon with a view to galvanizing support for children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.