Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies - 04 October 2002
Solveig Olafsdottir, Harare
The Federation's US$14 million regional programme will support HIV/AIDS programmes in 10 southern African countries for up to five years. The countries to be assisted are: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, where there are 12 million people living with the virus and 3.2 million children orphaned because of HIV/AIDS.
The region is also facing a major food crisis affecting 14.4 million people, many of them HIV-infected.
"This partnership we are entering into today has major implications for reaching infected and affected people through each national Red Cross society in the region. Since 2000, we have been extending activities and supporting the establishment of capacity to handle programme implementation in each country," said Jerry Talbot, Federation head of delegation in Harare.
"In this process we have been greatly supported by other partners, including the Netherlands and Swedish Red Cross Societies, and I want to acknowledge the important contribution they have played and will continue to play in addressing this disaster that faces all of us in the region."
Beatrix Ambags, ambassador of the Netherlands to Zimbabwe, emphasized that the Red Cross HIV/AIDS programme allowed all the countries in the region to learn from each other, sharing best practices so as not to re-invent the wheel, and this had impressed both her and her government.
"Your programme, Mr. Talbot, which draws on the voluntary nature of people to assist each other in their homes through basic nursing care, has earned our support as it is a noble programme which ensures dignity even for the sick," said ambassador Ambags.
"We also see this as an entry point for other programmes such as prevention, education and care for the orphans. We therefore wish you all the success in the implementation of the programme and look for a smooth cooperation with you and the other donors who are basket funding this programme with us."
Kristina Svensson, the Swedish Ambassador to Zimbabwe, reflected on the commitment of the International Federation to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic in partnership with the UN and other agencies as well as the civil society.
"Only by joining forces can we combat this epidemic. For that reason, the Governments of the Netherlands and Sweden will support IFRC and the National Red Cross Societies in the 10 countries of the region, to implement the programme in close collaboration with the governments, community and other relevant stakeholders," ambassador Svensson declared.
"Let us not turn our back on this epidemic and its worst affected people, it is time to move on to deliver pertinent responses which meet the ever increasing demand," she said.
By 2007, the funding will have helped improve and maintain the quality of life of 100,000 people living with HIV/AIDS through the Red Cross community home-based care and support programme. 250,000 orphans and other children will also benefit.
A total of 500,000 relatives and 400,000 community members will be given life-saving HIV prevention skills while another 2.75 million people will be reached through community level education and prevention campaigns.
Red Cross programmes will also work to reduce the vulnerability of women to the disease, establish 500 income generating activities and support groups for those living with HIV/AIDS and target 1.5 million youth aged between 10-24 years.
The programmes will be implemented at community level through the Red Cross volunteer network. Existing HIV/AIDS programmes in the region were started a year ago with an initial grant of US$ one million from the Red Cross in the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
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