The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is to benefit over 50,000 people.
The United States of America, USA, Ambassador to Cameroon, Michael S. Hoza, on April 21, 2015, in Yaounde, presented award papers to recipients of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) small grants programme. The ceremony that held at the US Embassy saw the grant of approximately 200,000 US Dollars (about FCFA 121 million) for nine projects in six regions. Over 50,000 women, children, and men in project areas will benefit from the assistance in the next 12 months.
The retained projects are “Alternatives Cameroun,” in the Littoral, “Association des Frères et Sœurs Unis,” Centre, “Association Le Sourire,” Adamawa, “Association des Jeunes Volontaires de Ngaoundere,” Adamawa, “Initiative de Recherches et de Formations pour le Development,” Centre, “Inter-faith Vision Foundation,” North West, “LUKMEF,” North West, “MENGWA Association Jeunes,” South, and “Reach Out Cameroon,” in the South West Regions. In his remarks, the Ambassador lauded the extraordinary leadership of Cameroonians in combatting HIV/AIDS. “They are everyday heroes whose efforts promote life amongst those affected,” he pointed out.
The PEPFAR Small Grants Programme serves community-based initiatives intended to support efforts and vision towards an AIDS-free generation. The main efforts supported include awareness raising on HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment, linkages to HIV/AIDS services to ensure access to these services by the general population with a focus on vulnerable groups, stigma and discrimination reduction in both health facility, and community sites and health systems strengthening. PEPFAR is the American government’s initiative to turn the tide of the HIV/AIDS epidemic around the world. It is said to be the largest by any nation in the world to combat a single disease. PEPFAR investments also help alleviate suffering from other diseases.
PEPFAR began in Cameroon in 2010 and has so far invested over 60 million US Dollars (about FCFA 37 billion). Tuesday’s grants and other investments are aligned with Cameroon’s National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan and work to strengthen the capacity of Cameroon’s government, non-governmental and private sectors, and civil society to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Applications are considered eligible if they can sustainably contribute towards HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment.
