THE United States has issued grants to 11 civil societies, nonprofit and faith based organisations which have been registered to implement community-led monitoring projects aimed to improve HIV services across the country.
The grant was issued by the US Ambassador to Tanzania Dr Donald Wright from the US Ambassador’s Fund for HIV/ AIDS Relief (AFHR) which is funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The recipient organizations had responded to an open call for proposals to implement community-led monitoring (CLM) activities in their local communities.
“Issuance of the grant represents the commitment by the US government to confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic,” read part of the statement from the US embassy to Tanzania.
Adding: “Since PEPFAR’s inception in 2003, the US Government has contributed more than 5billion US Dollars to address HIV in Tanzania alone”. The projects will focus on improving the quality of HIV services by gathering data about patients’ problems, challenges, and barriers related to service access, uptake, and retention at health facilities.
According to the statement, the results from the monitoring efforts will assist health facilities and local governments in making continuous quality improvements to the HIV services offered.
“This will advance the standard of care and make the process more straightforward and customer service oriented for people living with HIV. The goal is to ultimately improve the quality of life for PEPFAR beneficiaries,” read further the statement.
The AFHR started in 2009 and has provided grants to more than 140 communitybased and non-profit organizations in Tanzania. The United States is proud to continue the strong tradition of partnering with these organizations in pursuit of Tanzania’s HIV epidemic control goals.
A list of the 2021 AFHR awardees has Thubutu Africa Initiative (TAI), SIKIKA, Tanzania Red Cross Society (TRCS) Integrated Rural Development Organization (IRDO) and Women to Children Foundation (WOCHFO). Others are Kilimanjaro Women Information Exchange and Community Organization (KWIECO), Tanzania Network of Women Living with HIV/ AIDS (TNW+) STEPS Tanzania and the Education Outreach Tanzania (EDOTA).
Also, Agape AIDS Control Programme and Community Development Trust Fund of Tanzania (CDTF) have featured in the list of the awardees from the 2021 AFHR.