By MWANGALA LISELI –

MORE than 500 community and faith-based organisations in Zambia have benefited from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Small Grants Programme in the past eight years.

United States Embassy PEPFAR country coordinator Kristie Mikus said the organisations have successfully implemented programmes for HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support for orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia.

This is according to a statement released during the week by the US embassy in Lusaka.

“Over the past eight years in Zambia, the PEPFAR Small Grants Programme has assisted more than 500 community and faith-based organisations with successful implementation of programmes for HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support for orphans and vulnerable children,” she said. 

The HIV and AIDS prevention small grants mitigate the spread of the pandemic by promoting positive behavioural changes, voluntary medical male circumcision, voluntary testing and counselling and the use of other effective prevention methods.

Similarly, OVC small grant projects focus on enhancing the self-sufficiency of caretakers, training the families in life-skills, providing psychosocial support and strengthening communities’ capacity to care for orphans and vulnerable children.

“I encourage community-based organisations, neighbourhood groups, faith-based organisations, or institutions of learning to apply,” Ms Mikus said. 

The statement further stated that the Embassy is currently calling for applications from local Non-Governmental Organisations and faith-based organisations for PEPFAR Small Grants Programme.

The embassy said registered grassroots organisations working in areas of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support of orphans and vulnerable children are eligible to apply for the grants which goes up to K100,000.

The programme is in line with America’s dedication in working with the Government to reduce the spread of HIV and achieve an AIDS free generation.

However, qualified applicants must provide evidence of previous successful efforts in working in HIV/AIDS prevention or with OVC, and must clearly demonstrate how the activities proposed will be sustained over the long term, usually through income-generating activities.