The Role of Faith-based Organizations FBOs in Strengthening Community Responses to Support Families and Children Affect

1. The Role of Faith-based Organizations (FBOs) in Strengthening Community Responses to Support Families and Children Affected by HIV and AIDS Rabia MathaiSenior Vice President Catholic Medical Mission Board

2. Presentation Summary FBOs are vital contributors for Universal Access Scope of services provided by FBOs to families and children affected by HIV/AIDS Critical Challenges & Considerations Way Forward

3. FBOs � Essential Contributors

4. 4 Faith in Action [2003] First systematic study of Faith-Based Organizations (FB0s) and HIV/AIDS Independently designed, conducted and analyzed by Global Health Council Interviews with over 200 key informants Questions based on Global Strategy Framework on HIV/AIDS themes Explores secular and faith-based leaders� perceptions on past, present and suggested future roles of FBOs Commissioned by CMMB First systematic study of Faith-Based Organizations (FB0s) and HIV/AIDS Independently designed, conducted and analyzed by Global Health Council Interviews with over 200 key informants Questions based on Global Strategy Framework on HIV/AIDS themes Explores secular and faith-based leaders� perceptions on past, present and suggested future roles of FBOs Commissioned by CMMB

5. FBO Contributions are vital for Universal Access According to Reports released by World Health Organization (WHO): Between 30-70 percent of the health infrastructure in Africa is currently owned by faith-based organizations (2006) FBOs provide 40 percent of the total healthcare in many countries in Africa (2006-7) One in five organizations engaged in HIV and AIDS programming is faith-based (2003)

6. Types of Faith-Based Organizations Congregations: local gatherings of believers that meet on a regular basis (e.g. churches, mosques) . Religious Coordinating Bodies (RCBs): responsible for coordinating or supporting congregations or other RCBs . Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): faith-based organizations that employ staff and are accountable to a group other than a congregation or RCB Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): faith-based groups that rely on volunteers and are accountable to a group other than a congregation or RCB We defined four types of FBO. Congregations: local gatherings of believers that meet on a regular basis (e.g. churches, mosques etc) Religious Coordinating Bodies (RCBs): responsible for coordinating or supporting congregations or other RCBs Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): faith-based organizations (international or local) that employ staff and are accountable to a group other than a congregation or RCB Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): faith-based groups that rely on volunteers and are accountable to a group other than a congregation or RCB.. The main focus of the study was on Congregations and RCBs, since least was known about these groups� activities. We defined four types of FBO. Congregations: local gatherings of believers that meet on a regular basis (e.g. churches, mosques etc) Religious Coordinating Bodies (RCBs): responsible for coordinating or supporting congregations or other RCBs Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): faith-based organizations (international or local) that employ staff and are accountable to a group other than a congregation or RCB Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): faith-based groups that rely on volunteers and are accountable to a group other than a congregation or RCB.. The main focus of the study was on Congregations and RCBs, since least was known about these groups� activities.

7. FBO Contributions: Extensive networks of FBO institutions from local communities to national and transnational levels: health, education, social services, organized community volunteers Understanding of and acceptance in communities due to long-standing presence contributing to vast reach and sustainability Direct service delivery for prevention, care-support, and treatment programs

8. Access to hard to reach populations Religious organizations have existing structures that can coordinate a scaleable response

9. Churches� Health Assoc. of Zambia (CHAZ) CHAZ - 129 health institutions and community based church organizations representing 16 different churches and church organizations. Provides over 50% of formal health services in the rural areas of Zambia and about 30% of health care in the country as a whole. Integral partner with government health care system On the front lines of HIV and AIDS care and support � Principal Recipient for Global Fund grant to Zambia.

10. Church�s Concerted Response to HIV and AIDS in India

11. A Faith-Based Response to HIV in Southern Africa:the Choose to Care InitiativeUNAIDS Best Practice Collection Initiated and Commissioned by Catholic Medical Mission Board Written by Rev. Robert J. Vitillo (Caritas Internationalis and Consultant to CMMB) With the help of Sr. Alison Munro, O.P. (Southern Africa Catholic Bishops� Conference) And Mr. Johan Viljoen (Catholic Medical Mission Board) A Faith-Based Response to HIV in Southern Africa:the Choose to Care InitiativeUNAIDS Best Practice Collection Initiated and Commissioned by Catholic Medical Mission Board Written by Rev. Robert J. Vitillo (Caritas Internationalis and Consultant to CMMB) With the help of Sr. Alison Munro, O.P. (Southern Africa Catholic Bishops� Conference) And Mr. Johan Viljoen (Catholic Medical Mission Board)

13. A Community Capacity Assessment Tool was administered to each congregation. This consisted of 30 questions related to the eight areas shown above. Congregations and CBOs scored highly in all areas except for those realating to external technical and financial support. Few community responses received significant financial support from people outside the community. Few received training in principles of OVC program delivery, HIV prevention or organizational development, A Community Capacity Assessment Tool was administered to each congregation. This consisted of 30 questions related to the eight areas shown above. Congregations and CBOs scored highly in all areas except for those realating to external technical and financial support. Few community responses received significant financial support from people outside the community. Few received training in principles of OVC program delivery, HIV prevention or organizational development,

14. A Community Capacity Assessment Tool was administered to each congregation. This consisted of 30 questions related to the eight areas shown above. Congregations and CBOs scored highly in all areas except for those realating to external technical and financial support. Few community responses received significant financial support from people outside the community. Few received training in principles of OVC program delivery, HIV prevention or organizational development, A Community Capacity Assessment Tool was administered to each congregation. This consisted of 30 questions related to the eight areas shown above. Congregations and CBOs scored highly in all areas except for those realating to external technical and financial support. Few community responses received significant financial support from people outside the community. Few received training in principles of OVC program delivery, HIV prevention or organizational development,

15. Scope of services provided by FBOs to families and children affected by HIV and AIDS

16. Main OVC Support Activities OVC initiatives were categorized into ten main types of response. 1.Residential children�s homes Orphanages provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care and enable schooling for vulnerable children. 2. Street Children Shelters: These provide similar services for street children but often on a temporary basis. 3. School Assistance Many FBOs provide vulnerable children with school fees and other expenses for schooling. 4. Material Support. Many FBOs provide food and clothing to individual children from destitute households. 5. Visiting / Home-Based Care. Volunteers identify needy households in their neighborhood and regularly visit vulnerable children, caregivers and terminally ill patients. Some child-headed households are visited daily. 6. HIV prevention Many initiatives seek to increase awareness of HIV amongst vulnerable children and provide moral guidance 7. Medical Care: Some initiatives enable vulnerable children to access essential medical support through the provision of medical fees or medicines. 8. Income Generation and Vocational Training. Initiatives seek to raise money to support vulnerable children and provide them with employment skills 9. Day Care Centers provide care and food for pre-school children during the day, whilst caregivers are working. 10. Community Schools and Child Development Centers Some groups set up education facilities to provide education to vulnerable children who would otherwise be out of school.OVC initiatives were categorized into ten main types of response. 1.Residential children�s homes Orphanages provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care and enable schooling for vulnerable children. 2. Street Children Shelters: These provide similar services for street children but often on a temporary basis. 3. School Assistance Many FBOs provide vulnerable children with school fees and other expenses for schooling. 4. Material Support. Many FBOs provide food and clothing to individual children from destitute households. 5. Visiting / Home-Based Care. Volunteers identify needy households in their neighborhood and regularly visit vulnerable children, caregivers and terminally ill patients. Some child-headed households are visited daily. 6. HIV prevention Many initiatives seek to increase awareness of HIV amongst vulnerable children and provide moral guidance 7. Medical Care: Some initiatives enable vulnerable children to access essential medical support through the provision of medical fees or medicines. 8. Income Generation and Vocational Training. Initiatives seek to raise money to support vulnerable children and provide them with employment skills 9. Day Care Centers provide care and food for pre-school children during the day, whilst caregivers are working. 10. Community Schools and Child Development Centers Some groups set up education facilities to provide education to vulnerable children who would otherwise be out of school.

17. Characteristics of FBO services Studies have demonstrated that: Comprehensive services: health, education, psycho-social services, social protection Bulk of FBO services are provided at the community-level Cumulative impact of large nr FBOs Large numbers of community volunteers mobilized by FBOs

19. PMTCT FBO National Scale �Up: Kenya supported by USAID Kenya

20. Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance EAA Campaign for Paediatric ART

21. The Buddhist Response to HIV and AIDS in Thailand: The Sangha Metta Project

22. Adolescent Life Skills Education for HIV & AIDS: Sangha Metta Project

23. Way Forward Enhance collaboration between FBOs and national governments to integrate FBOs as mainstream partners at national levels Role of FBOs in channeling funds from external organizations to the communities Leverage additional resources for full engagement of FBOs so that national scale-up is accelerated Systematically document and disseminate lessons learned & best practices of FBO initiatives Encourage inter-religious collaboration and networking with other RCBs

24. Universal Access: National Scale-up without the Full Engagement of FBOs? Not a chance��