Even though the HIV/AIDS pandemic is of global importance, the effects of the disease are most profoundly felt in sub-Saharan Africa. With over 14million people living with HIV and AIDS, The SADC region (Southern African Development Community) remains at the heart of this epidemic. Certain SADC member states possess the world's highest rates of HIV infection and the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic together with other health problems have resulted in increased mortality rates, a distorted demographic profile, a growing orphan crisis, and internally displaced people across the region. Nearly 60% of HIV-positive adults are women and 75% of young people infected are girls. In addition to being more susceptible to infection and suffering higher infection rates, female populations are also expected to assume the burden of care for the sick and orphaned.

The objective of this domain is to support regional efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic by strengthening regional and governmental NGOs and governmental networks involved in prevention and care, improving policies and coordination, with an on-going focus on youth and vulnerable groups.

This objective will be attained by:

·        Supporting regional efforts which are contributing to Psycho-social support (PSS) for children affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty in order to find ways to address the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children.

·         Providing support to NGOs and government networks which are working school communities in order to develop the capacity and skills needed to address HIV/AIDS and its impact, focusing on vulnerable children.

·        Participating in policy development and implementation (e.g. HIV/AIDS regional coordination efforts).

·        Contributing to regional research on selected topics related to HIV/AIDS.

Support will be given to efforts that promote joint regional learning and exchanges amongst peers as this has potential to strengthen interventions. Furthermore, SDC will build on regional PSS-experience through REPSSI (Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative for children affected by HIV and AIDS and vulnerable children) and provide support to the health sector in Tanzania and Mozambique. SDC will also ensure that HIV/AIDS remains a constant area of interest in all its initiatives in order to allow for sustainable strategies to be developed (mainstreaming).

Actual Projects

Media in Education Trust Africa (MiETA)

Learn About Healthy Living Programme (LAHL)

The aim of this Programme is to support and develop the capacity of school communities to implement a holistic HIV/AIDS agenda aimed at reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS on orphaned and vulnerable children. The Programme will refine and consolidate the LAHL and transfer the expertise and experience gained into a model for Schools as Centres of Care and Support for orphaned and vulnerable children (SCCS).

HIV/AIDS Regional Schools as Centres of Care and Support Programme (SCCS)

The goal of this Programme is to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS and poverty on children and their associated school communities by empowering them to develop appropriate responses. In doing so, SCCS would help create HIV-positive friendly and safe schools. MiET is collaborating with the Ministries of Education of Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, REPSSI, UNICEF the UNICEF Country Offices. 

Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative (REPSSI)

While many programmes are being implemented to address the physical and material needs of affected children, little attention has been given to their psychosocial needs. The REPSSI programme aims to mobilise and provide technical support to governments, communities and civil society organisations in providing for the psychosocial well-being of 5 million children affected by HIV/AIDS in East and Southern Africa by 2010. In order to further expand the knowledge and skills required to develop psychosocial programmes addressing children’s needs, REPSSI currently works with strategic partners in 13 countries.

For further information, please refer to the Fact Sheets