Thandizani Community Based HIV/AIDS Prevention & Care is the Lead Local NGO operating in Lundazi District in the Eastern Province of Zambia

Lundazi District is 800 Kilometers from Lusaka the Capital City and 176 Kilometers from Chipata, the Provincial Administrative Capital. Thandizani is operating from Lundazi town, just 10 kms from the Malawi border. Lundazi District has a population of almost 300,000 people.

Thandizani was founded in 1999 as a result of an increasing number of clients testing positive for HIV/AIDS in the District. Since then Thandizani has grown to be the lead agency in the Eastern Province and a model for other NGOs throughout the country.

Thandizani works through a community franchise model with Community Care Groups that operate on a village/community level which means high involvement and commitment from the people within the community. Thandizani’s aim is to strengthen these small communities in the Lundazi District to effectively respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Since 1999 the number of affiliated groups has grown from 15 to over 100 in 2005.

Thandizani implements several programs with the following partners:

Zambia National AIDS Network (ZNAN) (sub-granting Global Funds)

KinderNotHilfe (Child Support Program)

VSO (EU Food Aids & Security Program)

SIMAVI (VCT and ART Program)

PAM (Program Against Malnutrition)

Thandizani as an organization has continued to grow since 1999 when it was started by 3 very committed people and now has 25 staff and a large number of community volunteers.

One of the great successes and breakthrough programs are the mobile VCT (Voluntary Counseling & Testing) services. Thandizani is the pioneer of mobile VCT. With this program Thandizani is ahead of the country when it comes to the positive attitude within the communities towards HIV and to be open about their HIV status. Static VCT services are offered in the Lundazi town (boma) and mobile VCT is offered through Thandizani Staff (Counselors) traveling into the villages where the CCG contacts mobilize the community for sensitization and VCT services. Consequently Thandizani provides more than 80% of the blood for HIV tests at Lundazi hospital.

Thandizani has received recognition as lead agency amongst major governmental and non-governmental organizations country wide and is often used as a model for implementing HIV/AIDS programs.

Apart from supporting Community Care Groups Thandizani has entered into partnership with other organizations for the implementation of different programs such as:

Sub-grant holder for Zambia National Aids Network for the Global Funds for HIV/AIDS. Thandizani was appointed by Zambian National Aids Network to sub-grant money from the Global Fund in the Eastern Province to smaller NGOs/CBOs/FBOs. Zambian National Aids Network also grants Thandizani with Global Fund money to scale up their own projects on HIV/AIDS (VCT; PMTCT; HBC).

Implementing Agency for the Eastern Province for the Food Aid and Security Program from the European Union in collaboration with VSO. This project will be running for 2 years. 300 PLWHA that are on ARTs and are lacking sufficient resources to provide for their own nutritional food will be supplied with different food on a monthly basis. They will also be educated in nutrition.

OVC Child Support Project. Thandizani received support from KinderNotHilfe to carry out an OVC Child Support Project with their affiliated Community Care Groups. Focusing on building capacity in sustainable Income Generating Activities and PsycoSocial Care for OVCs.

Lead agency in the implementation of the Food Security Pac Program implemented by Program against Malnutrition (PAM) in the province (2001-2005 and ongoing). Thandizani was appointed by Community Development and Agriculture Ministries as the implementing organization for Program against Malnutrition (PAM). Thandizani supplies agriculture inputs (fertilizers and seeds) to the vulnerable people in the communities in the Lundazi District. In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture Thandizani also organizes workshops to teach people on best practice of conservation farming (use of natural fertilizers and promoting minimum cultivation of land).

Thandizani has just entered into a partnership with SIMAVI. In a 2 year period Thandizani will carry out 80 mobile VCT visits per year, reaching 12,000 people who will voluntarily be tested for HIV/AIDS. In the newly finished VCT laboratory Thandizani will also provide ARV/ARTs to 650 people, in combination with Home Based Care training facilities for the Care Givers.

Thandizani has also been identified as Focal Point NGO in 2003 in Lundazi District among Civil Society Organizations doing HIV/AIDS Interventions,

 Thandizani Community HIV/AIDS Program, Lundazi - Zambia