Our work in Ethiopia
HIV/AIDS programs focus on prevention, care and support for two significant segments of Ethiopia's population-those in the "high-risk" corridor between Addis Ababa and Djibouti, and orphans and children left vulnerable by the death or illness of one or both parents. Through these programs, we have become a leader in community-based response to HIV/AIDS in over 500 communities throughout the country, helping to improve the lives of approximately 290,000 children.
High Risk Corridor Initiative (HRCI): The HRCI program reflects Save the Children's commitment to a comprehensive and community-based HIV/AIDS response. The program supports a prevention, care, support and mitigation framework that has been cited for its innovative work with the national HIV/AIDS structure. These prevention activities include provision of HIV/AIDS information through 21 centers established along the corridor, development of behavior change communication materials, training peer educators, creating enabling environment for HIV prevention by hotel and bar owners. The program provides service through Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) centers established in 16 existing government health facilities. In addition, the program undertakes home-based care for chronic and terminally ill People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAS) also providing them with psychosocial, spiritual, financial, material, and nursing care support. To ensure a more comprehensive program, the Ethipia Country Office began provision of a nutritional support package for the PLWHAs and orphans and vulnerable children in collaboration with WFP in Nazareth and Dire Dawa.
Positive Change: Children Communities and Care (PC3) is a major community service and capacity building initiative focused on reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS on children and their families. The program works to improve the wellbeing of orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) and families directly or indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS throughout Ethiopia. Save the Children and its partners work in close collaboration with Federal and State governments as well as with Woreda and Kebele level HAPCO committees. Our partners NGOs include FHI, CARE, World Learning and World Vision (international) and other 36 local NGOs. This five-year program is designed to provide care and support for at least 500,000 OVCs affected by HIV/AIDS throughout Ethiopia. To date the program has supported over 320,000 OVC with services ranging from health and nutrition care, education, psychosocial care, shelter and care and legal support to economic strengthening of needy households.