The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), announces two new projects to support children affected by HIV/AIDS, as well as promote prevention for adolescent girls. These new five-year projects are part of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and build on the continuous assistance the United States has provided Mozambique since 2004 to the over 900 thousand orphans created by the HIV epidemic.
Beyond ensuring HIV-positive children receive effective treatment so that they are virally suppressed, these projects will engage with caregivers to address nutritional needs, support access to education, and help overcome social and economic barriers. Case managers will deliver individual, age-appropriate services. Each intervention is designed to address the health, nutrition, and other needs of vulnerable children. In addition, this project will provide adolescent girls and young women with access to high-quality prevention services, recognizing that they represent the most vulnerable group for new HIV infections.
USAID continues to broaden our coalition, make our resources more accessible and equitable, and be more responsive to local voices. For example, this portfolio of nearly $50 million is transitioning from an international partner to two Mozambican organizations that have demonstrated a strong history of serving the needs of the most vulnerable populations in Mozambique. These projects, named Facilitating Impact that Lasts for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (FILOVC) will be implemented by Organização Comunitária para Saúde e Desenvolvimento (OCSIDA) who will implement the activities in Maputo Province, Maputo City, Gaza, and Inhambane, covering the south of the country. And in the North, the local NGO Associação dos Educadores dos Consumidores de Água (AMASI) will implement them in Nampula and Cabo Delgado. These new projects will build on the approach of the previous USAID activity for HIV vulnerable children, called COVIDA, implemented by FHI360.
At the launch of these projects, USAID Mission Director Helen Pataki urged, “let us continue to work together to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential”.
Protecting vulnerable children is a critical component of the broader U.S. Government assistance in Mozambique. In close collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Mozambique, the U.S. Government provides more than $700 million in annual assistance to improve the quality of education and healthcare, promote economic prosperity, and support the overall development of the nation.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Mozambique.
