HIV/AIDS
Measuring the Impact of HIV/AIDS Programs in Africa
As an HIV/AIDS response organization, we love sharing inside looks into how AP works, because they explain so much about the effectiveness of local leaders in community-based work. So here’s another look into these data points and how they are counted in areas affected by HIV/AIDS.
4 Key Characteristics of an Empowered Community
A lot of organizations want to help communities in need, but what does it mean to empower a community for sustainable progress? In this article, we’re laying out four key characteristics that define an empowered community. We’ll also talk about how Blood:Water works to provide grassroots organizations with more tools to give people what they need to take hold of all the ways they can improve their families’ lives.
The Pathway of Stigma
Much like the fear and distrust we are experiencing related to COVID-19, without a firm grasp on how a disease or virus spreads, people began to theorize and build hypotheses, most of them quite outside the realm of scientific or data-driven realities.
Responding to Poverty in Africa: What Do They Need?
Who knows better than they do what will make a difference in their village? Change and progress require local buy-in and a sense of ownership throughout the community in order to be sustainable.
“Boring” Data Can Be More Interesting Than You Think
Tracking the work of our African partners can be a bit complicated. Amanda, one of the members of our Africa Partnerships (AP) team recently walked the rest of us through an overview of how our AP team works with our partners, and it was so interesting that we thought you would also enjoy learning more about it! Our partners do life-changing work, and we utilize best practices and international standards in order to measure not only how well we’re already doing, but how we can continue to get better.
COVID and HIV: An Update From The Global Community
Nadia Kist, Blood:Water’s Director of Africa Programs, recently attended the global AIDS conference where she learned that HIV and COVID-19 have an even greater overlap than previously expected. For starters, the fact that so many people require immediate attention adds a large burden to health systems around the globe, many of which are not even equipped for their existing needs. Coronavirus has presented a situation none of us expected or know what to expect from, so we are still learning how it will impact greater issues that were already being faced.
A Glimpse Into What Our Partners Are Up To
As our partners continue to work diligently to adapt to the challenges of COVID-19, we wanted to share some insight and updates about how a couple of them are doing these days.
Her Whole Life Was Transformed
If we need any proof that long-lasting change is capable through our love and commitment to helping one another, Anna is a standing testament that miracles do happen.
Touching Bottom
“I remember days as a young boy, swimming in the ocean off the coast of southern Maine. The exhilaration of that first step beyond the hard sand. I would stand on the soft ocean sand looking toward the shore, and let the din of body surfers, sand castle builders and even the sound of small transistor radios on the blankets of sunbathers all become a muted echo. When I was younger, I loved to sway back and forth as the gentle current caressed my scrawny little body. It was a sanctuary… until it wasn’t.”
The Experts Are Not Who You Think
The question that should pop up in your brain at this point is, “Has the international development community largely operated without elevating the importance and integral role of local expertise?” And the answer to your question is a resounding and painful, “yes.”