Thandizani carries out a variety of HIV/AIDS related programmes

Community Care Groups

Thandizani works through a community franchise model. The people in the community become a member of their Community Care Group by undergoing an HIV test. After forming the group the CCG become a member (affiliated group) of Thandizani. The philosophy is that everybody should receive help and no one should be left out. The CCGs 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 gives them training and technical assistance in HIV/AIDS related issues like VCT; HBC. Through the years Thandizani has trained a number of CCG members as service providers. Training and workshops are ongoing and the trained people are regularly coming back for follow-up workshops. The CCGs are now able to carry out prevention interventions and impact mitigation programs in their communities. They mobilize the community in the fight against stigma and discrimination for PLWHA (People Living and With HIV/AIDS). They also provide care and support to the OVCs (Orphans and Vulnerable Children) and other vulnerable people like widows and single headed households in the community.

The Community Care Groups run a well coordinated referral system and linkages to health facilities. This has enhanced good partnership with different stakeholders.

Global Funds (Sub Granting and Thandizani programmes)

Sub-grant holder for Zambia National Aids Network for the Global Funds for HIV/AIDS. In 2005 Thandizani was appointed by Zambian National Aids Network to sub-grant the money from the Global Fund in the Eastern Province to smaller NGOs/CBOs/FBOs.

Thandizani receives and appraises the proposals for Global Fund and disburses them in the Eastern Province. Average number of organizations granted per quarter is 30 and over 200 proposals are received quarterly. Thandizani is responsible for sub-granting to qualifying NGOs, CBOs, groups of People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and Private Sector Organizations in the following programme areas:

Reduction of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections among:

1. Specific Groups, and

2. Work place

3. Voluntary Counseling Testing (mobile and static services)

4. Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT)

5. Youth Programmes

Mitigation of the impact of HIV/AIDS through:

1. Support of people living with HIV/AIDS, and

2. Provision of palliative care including Home Based Care

3. Provision of support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children

In 2006 Thandizani sub-granted to 66 organizations and 14,017 people were beneficiaries of the support. The organizations supported are in 8 districts of Eastern Province namely Mambwe, Nyimba, Petauke, Katete, Chadiza, Chipata, Lundazi and Chama districts.

Thandizani also receives Global Fund money to scale-up their own programmes within Lundazi District and their Community Care Groups. This includes mobile VCT visits; static VCT; HBC training and other HIV/AIDS related programs.

OVC Child & Support Programme

In 2006 Thandizani started a partnership with KinderNotHilfe, a German Donor Organization, implementing an OVC support project. This project is a combimed OVC support and micro-finance programme. The CCGs are given technical business support and a loan to start an IGA in order to generate income to support OVCs to go to school; buy school requisites and other necessities. The OVC guardians are also being trained in Child Counseling. The project was started in 2006 with 10 Community Care Groups (Euro 40,000.--) and will be scaled up in the next 3 years to 40.

Food Aid & Security Programme

Implementing Agency for the Eastern province of the Food Aid and Security Programme from European Union in collaboration with VSO (Euro 350,000.--). This project operates in Eastern Province, particularly in Lundazi and Mambwe District and will be running for 2 years. 320 PLWHA that are on ART treatment (and 1,920 indirect beneficiaries) 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. This project aims at promoting the health status of the clients and prepares them to be food secure to sustain them once the project folds up.

PAM (Program Against Malnutrition)

Lead agency in the implementation of the Food Security Pac Program implemented by Program against Malnutrition (PAM) in the province (started in 2001 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 to teach people on best practice of conservation farming (use of natural fertilizers and promoting minimum cultivation of land).

Static & Mobile VCT and Provision of ART

Thandizani has just received funding from SIMAVI (Euro 95,000.--) for the implementation of a 2-year static and mobile VCT program. Thandizani will carry out 80 outreach VCT visits and reaching 12,000 people to voluntarily be tested for HIV/AIDS. This program also includes the provision of ART/ARVs to 650 people from the new VCT Laboratory in Lundazi boma (town). This funding also includes Euro 20,000.-- for the procurement of laboratory equipment for the newly constructed VCT Laboratory funded by the Netherlands Embassy for Euro 20,000.--

Computer Skills Training to Secondary School Pupils

Computer Skills Software Training is being given to Lundazi Secondary School pupils. This project is funded by Intermax who will be sponsoring these training costs for 3 years (Euro 15,000.--) 12 pupils are following a 2-week software program learning Basic Computer, Word, Excel and Internet.

Thandizani Community Based HIV/AIDS Prevention & Care, Lundazi - Zambia