SOS Chidren's Villages

AIDS Africa Best Practice

We share the best practices we have learnt in dealing with AIDS in Africa:

As the world's largest orphan charity, and as a responsible member of society present in much of Africa, we have been working for years on how best to help those children left without parents by HIV/AIDS, especially in Africa. We have a set of working AIDS Africa guidelines but we also compare other programmes in the field and draw conclusions on which models work best. Much of it is common sense or Africa sense: the best solution if possible is to support the orphans in a family unit and help them keep their old family home. This requires knowing who is who and local partners are invaluable. But in practice it takes time and care to overcome obstacles which are not always expected. These papers are based on a workshop of SOS field workers held last year.

HIV/AIDS programmes: principles and examples

1. Target the most vulnerable children, their families & communities:

   Community-based research provides a basis to develop an orphan register
   Example of SOS Social Centre Mbabane, Swaziland

2. Support vulnerable children in order to assure their immediate survival & development rights

   Example of SOS Social Centre Waterfalls, Zimbabwe

3. Use a holistic support package tailored to meet the basic survival and development needs of a child:

   Family carers (volunteers) conduct regular home visits; build families capacity to protect and care for their children
   Example of SOS Social Centre Mbabane, Swaziland
   Example of SOS Social Centre Mamelodi, South Africa

4. Assist Care takers of orphans and vulnerable children to access government grants

   Example of SOS Social Centre Lusaka, Zambia

5. Immediate material needs are addressed through a household support plan which includes capacity building strategies

   SOS Social Centre Lilongwe, Malawi

6. Mobilise community-based organisations, facilitate self-organisation and channel all support possible through the community structures

   SOS Social Centre Nelspruit, South Africa (partnership with Siyasitana Home Based Care group)
   SOS Social Centre Mamelodi (Partnership with "Tateni" home-based care organisation)

7. Planning & evaluation ensure that programmes are relevant & effective

   SOS Social Centre Lilongwe, Malawi (slowly but surely: step by step)
   SOS Community Social Centre Qwa Qwa, South Africa

8. Local stakeholders should be actively involved at every stage of the planning and establishment of the programme