U.S. Ambassador Don Yamamoto Launches PEPFAR Small Grants Program for Indigenous NGOs

February 8, 2007
No. 07/07

Addis Ababa (U.S. Embassy) – On Thursday, February 8, 2007, U.S. Ambassador Don Yamamoto visited Hope for Children, one of six community organizations chosen by PEPFAR/Ethiopia as the first recipients of the Small Grants to Community-Based Organizations Program under U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

A key activity of PEPFAR is the expansion of work with new partners, particularly nongovernmental, community-based and faith-based organizations in an effort to broaden services and foster sustainability. As part of this effort PEPFAR/Ethiopia created the Small Grants to Community-Based Organizations Program. This program funds communities and faith-based organizations to carry out small-scale projects to assist in HIV prevention or provide care and support to persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and/or children orphaned or affected by AIDS. Grants range from ETB 8,500 to 260,000 (US $1,000-$30,000).

Hope for Children received a grant of USD 55,572 (ETB 491,000) (with a match contribution of 21,782 USD (ETB 192,500), for its Lafto Care and Support Project, located in Nefas Silk Lafto Subcity, Addis Ababa. This project will provide HIV/AIDS peer education through puppet shows and community volunteer educators, and will work with individuals and families affected by the HIV/AIDS by providing grief counseling and home-based care. Beneficiaries are 200 orphans and vulnerable children and 7,080 adults.

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Small Grants Programs was created to make funds available for U.S. Ambassadors to support local projects developed with extensive community involvement, targeted at specific needs of the host country, and developed in coordination with local nongovernmental organizations and municipalities. This year’s group of grant recipients, which includes six indigenous NGOs in Addis Ababa and other parts of Ethiopia, is the first group to receive small grants under the PEPFAR/Ethiopia program.

The six grantees of PEPFAR’s 2006 Small Grants to Community-Based Organizations Program are Addis Hiwot Center for the Blind, Bahir Dar Medhanealem Orphans & Destitute Family Support and Training Center, Dorcas Aid International Ethiopia, Hope for Children Organization, Hope for the Blind and Handicapped Rehabilitating Association, and Mekdim Ethiopia National Association (Shashemene Branch). The six groups have received a total of 143,649 USD or 1,249,752 ETB in individual grants.