Zambia: PEPFAR Grant to Benefit HIV Positive Children

As part of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), 62 grants were made to local organizations in Zambia. The grants were intended for prevention of new HIV infection and to support orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) at the community level. Kasisi Orphanage, a Catholic facility in Lusaka, plans to use their award to provide medication and food, and promote good sanitation for more than 60 HIV-infected orphans from 0 to 20 years old. The project is being called Help Us Grow (HUG). Kafue Child Development Agency plans to use their grant to eliminate all types of child poverty, particularly in children whose parents died from HIV/AIDS. Most groups mentioned educating the children. One group will focus on providing caregivers living in towns with skills to earn a living and supplying goats to those in rural areas. Another wants to focus on enhancing existing programs.

Stephen Schwartz, US Deputy Chief of Mission, promised that the US Mission in Zambia would work with the local organizations in support of their innovative ideas to prevent HIV. He emphasized that the US government through PEPFAR was confident that the joint efforts would result in limiting the spread of HIV. Schwartz also stated that the investment of Americans is of no value if it does not result in actions to prevent HIV and take care of the orphans.

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