1. Executive Summary

This Program will strengthen the resilience of HIV/HIDS affected people to cope the different physical, medical, social, economic and psychological challenge they are faced with; and strengthen the community’s effort related to HIV/AIDS Prevention in the Project areas by providing care and support and psychosocial support.
The selected areas (Keble 18 , Tabia Addis Alem and Tabia Aid Haqi) is Vision in Actions  intervention areas in which different efforts of Home based care, awareness of HIV/AIDS focused issues and psychosocial social support  to PLWHA were made.

Vision in Action has identified several gaps that are challenging to the PLWHA. Among others the outstanding gaps is the lack of sustainable and adequate care and support is one.
Hence filling this gap through home based care to activity, including benefiting from psychosocial Support activities are the priorities.

This project, by assisting by assisting PLWHA through home based care by promoting physical, social and economic access to basic needs and psychosocial support, will minimize such untoward effect of HIV/AIDS in those groups.
The HIV/AIDS board members at various levels, wereda social Affairs, health offices, Mekelle zone Lab our and social Affairs, and Regional HAPCO with Vision in Action Anti HIV/AIDS Association in each site will jointly implement the project.

The Home based care for affected people contains such treatment,, promotion of food preparation, sanitation/hygiene temporary, access to medication shelter, social support, asset building for the skilled trained PLWHA and psychosocial social support.

 2. Organizational Background

Vision in Action Anti HIV/AIDS Association is a local Association of youth established by the initiative of voluntary youth with aim of care and support to PLWHA and other volunteers willing to support people living with HIV/AIDS. The idea emanated due to the rampant effect of HIV/AIDS and deterioration living standard of the PLWHA especially those patients in bed. It was founded in 2006, after having accredited by Bureau of Justice of the Regional State of Tigray. Vision in Action is working to wards alleviating the problems of PLWHA. Vision in Action exerts every effort to provide and create access to basic health services, care and support.

Since its establishment, the organization has been carrying out its duty by providing home based care to Several PLWHA.

 Experiences

Vision in Action is an indigenous, non political, non religious humanitarian organization founded by a group of voluntaries mainly trained in different professions in view of helping  PLWHA.

 Vision/goal of the organization set up

      The vision our organization emphasizes on promoting the betterment in the social
        And economic well being of PLWHA and orphan children and families
       Affected by HIV/AIDS.

 Mission/Objective of the organization set up

    Vision in Action was established to alleviate the socio economic problems of the PLWHA. Its mission states that vision in Action should contribute in the efforts made towards prevention and fighting of stigma, denial and discrimination particularly for PLWHA and orphaned children due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. All the objectives of the organization are geared to wards the realization of vision and mission of the organization.
   The objectives of Vision in Action formulated to achieve the aforementioned vision and mission.

 Strategies

• Participation, Empowerment, partnership and institutional capacity building
• Focus on people Living with HIV/AIDS

  3. Description of the project area

    Tigray region

     Tigray region is located in the northern part of Ethiopia and bordered by Sudan in west, Eritrea in the north, in the south and south west wollo and Gonder zones of Amhara region respectively and the Afar region in the east. The region belongs to the northern high land of Ethiopia.
Tigray region has and area of 53,638 square K/ms and a total population of 4.1 million (CSA). When we see the ethnic diversity of the region more than 92 % belongs to the region, including Erube and Kunama followed by Amhara and Agew which is 5.5% and 1.5% respectively. AS far as language is concerned Tigrigna is spoken by 95.5% of people. Out of the total population of 4.1 million, 1.8 million (45%) are children between the age of 0 to 14 and 20% between the age of 15-24.

To have an over view of the spatial distribution of population in Mekelle at a kebelle level, History of the Project area

At one time or another in the last  25  years Tigray region faced the double tragedy of war (civil war and boundary conflicts) and famines, the almost notable of which occurred in 1984-1985, The result has been prolonged state of fear and insecurity and the people shared deteriorated living condition. Typically, children were affected by these unfavorable conditions. Since 1992 until 1997, the stability has esta blushed but since 1997 because of boundary conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia the region is suffered and children are found vulnerable and abandoned with out family and protection of home.

 Government and politics

Tigray region is one of of the 9 regional states of the federal democratic republic of Ethiopia, Tigray region is organized in 6 administration zones namely: central, Southern, Western, Eastern, north western and the Mekelle especial zone.

 Population

   Secondary sources from Mekelle City Finance and Economic Development have been referred. According to these documents, the total Population size of the city would reach 211,351 in 2004. Out of total population 98,735/46.7% are male and 112,616/53.3% are female. There exists also a variation among the different Kebelles of the City.Kebelle Kedamy Weyane, Which is located at the Centre of the cilty, has the biggest and oldest market called the kedamay weyane. It had a total population of 27,157 and stands as the most populous tabia in the city. Tabia Hadnet and Adi Haki have the population size of 26, 106 and 25,650 respectively. Aynalem and Adi Shimduhun have the lowest share with a total population size of 3,356 and 6,376 respectively.

Table 1: population distribution of Mekelle city by tabia

Source: Statistics Bulletin 2002/2003, Mekelle city, Finance and economic Development

AS the data from CSA illustrates, Addis Ababa has been the leading city in the country having a total population size of 2,495,000 followed by Dire Dawa and Nazeret as the second and third respectively. Mekelle stood as the sixth populated city having a total population size of 128,974 (CSA abstract, 1999). As being the regional capital, Mekelle is the most populated city in national regional state of Tigray. According to the projection of the CSA for the year 2001, of the total urban population of Tigray Region (651,000) Mekelle’s share has been 21%. Which means about one in five urban dwellers is settled in Mekelle. According DHS in 2001 the majority of residents of Tigray region have little or no education, 77% of women have no education compared with 65% of man. One in three children who should be attending primary school is doing so.
The level of child bearing is relatively high among women in Tigray age group 15-19, 21 % of women age 15-19 in Tigray have already become mothers or are currently pregnant with their first child. At current fertility level a women living in Tigray will give birth of an average 5.8 children. In Tigray, their age at first marriage (15.6 years) and use at first sexual intercourse (15.5 years). Date also indicate that women marry about 9 years earlier than man does.

4. Project Objectives
      Overall Objective

The over all objective of the project is to augment the economical, social, Psychological, etc. Status of PLWHA and their families and there by providing home based care.

   Specific Objectives

• Providing home based care to provide basic care to PLWHA.
• To prevent orphan vulnerable children living in destitute families or relatives from becoming street children by supporting their Victim families.
• To place orphan vulnerable children in their extended families by financially supporting their families or relatives.
• Assist the children, youth and their families in the prevention of HIV/AIDS through increasing community awareness and providing economic support.

5. PROJECT COMPONENTS

   General

The Project will, whenever possible, use the existing capabilities of Anti HIV/AIDS Association and facilities of the government working in the area, so that the project can concentrate until they become self-reliant or fully recovered from their illness. 

 Activities

 The activities for the project are

• Access to medication
• Sanitation /Hygience
• Social support for HIV/AIDS orphan children
• Psychosocial counseling

6. Program Management and Administration

This Project proposal will be implemented by Vision in Action Anti HIV/AIDS Association, A grass-roots association committed to working on home based care to the PLWHA and orphan children to bring about positive and sustainable change. Since it inception, Vision in Action Association has built up it working capacity, particularly in home based care and support for PLWHA.

7. Reporting

• The Project will submit report to the to woreda and zonal Bureau of Labor and social Affairs,HAPCO, donor and other relevant offices in accordance with the  Project’s policy, guidelines and project agreement.Consequently,the project will submit report to the donor.
• Relevant information and regular reports in accordance with the annual plan;

The project will also submit narrative and financial report to the HAPCO as stated in the project agreement or as agreed upon among the parties.

Vision in Action
Organization Set-up

Vision in Action is a local humanitarian, on-profitable and non-governmental organization established by a group of volunteers to support people living with HIV/AIDS especially patients of HIV/AIDS through home based care. The idea emanated due to the rampant effect of HIV/AIDS and stigma, discrimination and denial where many PLWHA were left with inadequate medication, food, cloths, shelter and other facilities. It was founded in 2006, after having accredited by Bureau of justice of the Regional state of Tigray. Vision in Action is working to wards alleviating the problems of PLWHA in general and patients of the epidemic in particular. Vision exerts every effort to provide and create access to basic health services, medication, food, educational facilities, counseling and other human necessities and it is designed as care and support.

Vision in Action is run by the management board, which was founded in 2006. The management board is fully charged with the duty of monitoring the overall performance of the organization. Moreover’ the management board is Vision in Action supreme organ seeing to the reporting of the steering committee, the relevant zonal and regional offices.

Experiences

Vision in Action is an indigenous, non political, non religious humanitarian organization founded by a group of voluntaries in view of helping PLWHA.

• Vision in Action’s major achievements to date

• Vision in Action has pioneered home based care for patients of HIV/AIDS in Meklle for some 200 patients taking care of feeding, clothing, medication and other services
• Psychosocial counseling for more than 300 PLWHA,
• Enable 226 PLWHA to take ART and undertaking series follow up
• Family based care for 120 orphans children

Background Information

• Name of Organization-Vision in Action Anti HIV/AIDS Association
• Date of Establishement-2006 Bureau of Justice of the Regional state of Tigray 6/4/99 E.C
• Legal Entity/Registration No
• Operational area-Mekelle Tigray Ethiopia
• Principal Contact person sofinos Kebede

Executive Director Vision in Action Anti HIV/AIDS Association
P.O.Box 763
Tel.mob-0912054533
-0914767888
Tel Office-0344402316
E.Mail:-Visionin_Action@yahoo.com
Mekelle Tigray Ethiopia

Mission Objective of the organization set up Vision in Action was established to alleviate the socio economic problems of the PLWHA. Its mission states that vision in Action should contributed in the efforts made to wards prevention and fighting of stigma. Denial and discrimination particularly for PLWHA and orphaned children due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. All the objectives of the organization are geared to wards the realization of Vision and mission of the organization. The objectives of Vision in Action formulated to achieve the aforementioned vision and mission
   -Providing full care to PLWHA through covering the cost of their food, shelter,    
   Clothing  and providing them with psycho-social
  -Prevention risk girls from joining prostitution and infected by HIV/AIDS and other
    . STD
   -Community based home based care for patients of the epidemic
    -Awareness rising on HIV/AIDS prevention and protection, fighting stigma,   
    discrimination and denial

Vision goal of the organization
    The Vision our organization emphasizes on Promoting the betterment in the social  
    and  economic well being of PLWHA And Orphan children and families affected by
    HIV/AIDS

Objective

• Overall Objective:-The overall objective of the project is to help people living with HIV/AIDS to attain self-confidence and become productive citizen by ways of overcoming the effects of HIV/AIDS and thus promoting sustainable medication care through home based care.
• Specific Objectives:- Providing home based care to provide basic care to PLWHA
• To prevent orphan vulnerable children living in destitute families or relatives from becoming street children by supporting their victim families.
• To place orphan vulnerable children in their extended families by financially supporting their families or relatives.

Strategies

• Participation Empowerment partner ship and institutional capacity building
• Focus on people Living with HIV/AIDS

Future Direction

Using past experiences and lessons learned from the program. The plan is to intensity consolidate in the project area and to expand the program in to other area of the region and to fin the aap identified during the implementation of these projects. In this regard vision in Action has already prepared proposals

Anticipated partner ship

-Vision in Action will closely work with line HAPCO bureaus health. Women’s Affairs of Tigray Bureau of Labor social Affairs Disaster prevention preparedness and food security division. Tigray HIV/AIDS Network member aimed to address the problem of the people by organizing and empowering organizations and institutions.