Highlights, Accomplishments and Future Directions of Partner work in:
HIV / AIDS – Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe
Kenya – NACHU – “Build and Live”
2001 first attempts to plan appropriate response for organization and members – developed proposal for joint funding with Canadian partner – not successful
Scan of agencies / organizations, both governmental, non-governmental and private 02/03
Basic survey of members – knowledge, attitudes and practice 02/03 report in 04
Regular polling of members who participate in training concerning existing service providers – ongoing practice – concluded that members don’t benefit from existing broadcast or target information programs on HIV / AIDS
NACHU visit to Canada – November 2003 – focus on learning from Canadian HIV AIDS experience – bias to the interface of cooperative and social housing with HIV AIDS – NACHU pending to select Canadian partner org for technical support / solidarity
NACHU strategy on: training, outreach – TOT & Voluntary Counseling Centres, poverty reduction/income generation – developed over a number of years
Negotiating with Cooperative Insurance Company for insurance for housing loans covering death from all causes – approved and incorporated into NACHU loan package
NACHU Organizational policy on HIV/AIDS – short and long version developed and approved by board in January 2004. Describes overall approach to staff and members – General principles: Equity, Confidentiality, Rights and Responsibilities, Mainstreaming – Creating a non discriminatory and Caring Environment – Responsive / Proactive HIV AIDS Programming Principles – Organizational and HR resource development – Implementation and Coordination responsibilities – Community Involvement and partnerships – Monitoring and Evaluation –
Meeting with stakeholders on March 19 2004.
NACHU in house trainers’ manual – KiSwahili and English - April 2004
Initial training with 60 cooperative members in April 2004.
Future Directions:
- Seeking additional funds
- Training with staff and constituency
- Partnership with Canadian HIV AIDS organization?
- Implementation of Institutional Policy
- Linking HIV / AIDS to development of National Housing Policy
Kenya – Mazingira Institue
In relation to World Aids Campaign 200203 SINA bulletins 57 & 58 disseminated the following message on the front cover:
Live and Let Live
World Aids Campaign
2002 – 2003
Adequate Housing sustains health
Of persons with AIDS
HOUSING IS HUMAN RIGHT
During the visit of the UN Rapporteur’s visit to Kenya (facilitated by Mazingira)
the Nairobi civic forum held at Mazingira Institute during the UN Rapporteur’s visit to Kenya, Kenya Aids NGOs Consortium (KANCO) presented its report on people living with HIV/AIDS. KANCO focused on the right to an adequate standard of living for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) The first case of HIV presented itself in Kenya in 1984. Currently, there are 2.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS -- 1 million of them are orphans. PLWHA face discrimination and stigmatization in society especially with regards to housing. Widows and children are often evicted from their homes under the suspicion of being HIV positive after their husbands/fathers die from it. In order to receive credit and mortgages for houses, concerned applicants suspected of being HIV positive are forced to take tests to prove that they are negative.
Promoting home-based care as an alternative to expensive hospital care would be an ideal option for lower income HIV/AIDS patients. However, this is not likely to become a reality given the grossly inadequate living conditions in most parts of the city, unaffordability of rental houses and discrimination in terms to availability of credit. Inadequacy of housing in the form of unhygienic and overly cramped conditions and a lack of clean water to drink, wash and cook would not only worsen the state of ill person, but also promote rapid spread of the disease.
Future Directions:
- Further facilitation
- Documentation
Zimbabwe – Housing People of Zimbabwe
2001 first attempts to plan appropriate response for organization and members – in partnership with Rooftops Canada attempted to secure specific funds through proposal to CIDA meeting Social Development Framework – not successful
Proposals developed locally for funding
Dec 2002 Impact study of HIV AIDS on 10 cooperatives – with conclusions and recommendations – Followed by CIVIC Forum Report on Impact of HIV / AIDS on low income housing delivery.
Employed one staff member to specific work in this area – training and information for the staff and members of HPZ
Workshop with cooperatives in March 2003 sharing reports and discussing needs of housing cooperatives in regards to HIV / AIDS, Gender, Information dissemination, education, training and awareness.
Based on above work Links with local and international HIV AIDS networks expanded. Sharing of information and resources with SAFAIDS, ZNPP+, ZAPA and other local institutions. Members and staff of these organizations participated in the 2 HPZ HIV AIDS workshop. Specific partnerships established for training. HPZ training staff participated in Zimbabwe AIDS Network (ZAN) AGM.
HIV / AIDS Desks established within 4 District Unions - Masvingo, Bulawayo, Harare and Mutare. Representatives from these desks participated in a HPZ National AIDS workshop to raise awareness. Plans of action were developed informing strategies for intervention at co-op, district and national level. The suggestions included more awareness workshops and training in orphan care and home-based care.
Information bulletin launched – Positive Housing. Other pamphlets and flyers produced
HIV / AIDS is covered as a theme in National Seminar and Womens Seminar
Work underway to establish institutional policy for organization
Future Directions:
- Seeking additional funds
- Training with staff and constituency
- Linking HIV / AIDS with Low Income Housing / Policy / Advocacy work with Community Action Group
Tanzania – WAT
Begin by using locally available information resources to incorporate and HIV / AIDS component into every training program – For example 3 day workshop on inheritance – include ½ day on HIV / AIDS
HIV / AIDS adopted as cross cutting issue in all activities. Awareness creation conducted with all affiliated housing coops and other target groups.
Youth intern assisted with scan of issues, information and ongoing activities
Youth Intern began with objective to mainstream HIV / AIDS into WAT programs.
Developed and tested Facilitators Manual on running an appropriate HIV / AIDS workshop. WAT staff benefited from practical training.
WAT is producing brochures and pamphlets in two languages.
WAT produced a video on HIV / AIDS in partnership with Nalamakasi Housing Cooperative in Dodoma. Further work will be done to strengthen the quality of the video for wider exposure – first of all with Rooftops partners and networks.
Future Directions:
- Revision of video
- Training with staff and constituency
- Link HIV / AIDS and Human Settlements into HAFOTA Advocacy work on poverty reduction
Rooftops Canada
- Facilitating Links – Canadian / International Networks
- Sharing information between partners
- Compiling and distributing useful information – reports, studies, policies, etc.
- Youth Interns for specific tasks – scans, surveys, training material
- Awareness with our staff, board and constituency
- Support for local partners including overhead, staff, training, materials, local consultants, research, etc
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