We have been awarded £37000 by the UK Department for International Development Civil Society Challenge Fund Programme to work with People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) over the next three years. V2V-Tanzania are implementing the project in partnership with Kikuhe (an organisation of PLWHA). This project is based on extensive research work in Moshi and Same Districts of Tanzania.
Organisations or forums of people living with HIV are a key driving force in the AIDS response, and with appropriate support individuals living with HIV can take a central role in their own locality in the direction and delivery of AIDS programmes. Their participation gives a personal power and immediacy to AIDS efforts that drives and inspires others into action. Our project is innovative in trying to facilitate such organisations to mobilise in a coordinated manner in order to hold government and civil society to account for the services they provide to PLWHA. Many other projects work on such issues at local level but our research shows that many of their actions are fragmented and uncoordinated. Many existing interventions treat PLHWA as passive recipients of assistance, whereas our proposal seeks both to coordinate local action but also to mobilise PLWHA as active agents of change.
For forums or organisations of people living with HIV capacity building will include building confidence, increasing knowledge, creating and strengthen networks for self support and empowerment, strategic planning and emotional and moral support. Tackling stigma and discrimination is fundamental to creating the kind of environment where people living with HIV can flourish and contribute in a meaningful way.
We see this project as piloting a model that could potentially be scaled up across the country. For that reason we seek to ensure that the methodology developed can easily be adopted by local government, and is the reason the project will work with existing HIV/AIDS committees at district and ward levels. Our networks and links (particularly HelpAge International and University of Dar-es-Salaam) at national level will be important in helping to disseminate learning and in engaging a wide range of stakeholders.
