American Foundation for Children with AIDS
Encyclopedia
The American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA) is a non-profit organization
that helps children in sub-Saharan Africa
, as well as their guardians, who are HIV
positive or who have contracted AIDS
and lack access to appropriate medical care. Sub-Saharan Africa has been most affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, given that of all new HIV infections in the world, those in sub-Saharan Africa account for more than two-thirds of that number, as of 2008. In helping to fight the battle against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, AFCA provides critical antiretroviral medicine and other related medications, medical equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements, emergency supplies needed by the institutions in AFCA’s targeted areas, as well as critical support for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, which included training of personnel. Currently, AFCA collaborates with twenty-eight partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
, Kenya
, Uganda
, and Zimbabwe
.
AFCA is a member of the Children’s Medical Charities of America and in May 2007, AFCA received the Best in America Seal of Excellence from the Independent Charities of America. This seal is awarded “to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.”
AFCA meets 20 out of 20 standards from the Better Business Bureau.
AFCA’s approach to HIV care is family oriented. In addition to providing care for HIV-infected children from ages 0 through 19, the organization provides pregnant women who are HIV positive with the antiretroviral medication required to prevent the transmission of HIV to their unborn children. This preventive care is an important aspect of the care provided by AFCA since according to UNAIDS, reversal of the global HIV epidemic will not occur unless there is a decrease in the number of new HIV infections. AFCA also provides antiretroviral and other medicines for the HIV-positive guardians of infected children to prolong the guardians’ lives, thus preventing the children from becoming orphans.
The main fundraiser AFCA utilizes to fulfill its mission is called Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up. This fundraiser consists of outdoor events, which cater to individuals of any age or ability: Climb Up: Kilimanjaro, Climb Up: Gunnison, Climb Up: Nigeria, and Climb Up:Tacoma are some of the events currently supporting AFCA's work.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that helps children in sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
, as well as their guardians, who are HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
positive or who have contracted AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and lack access to appropriate medical care. Sub-Saharan Africa has been most affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, given that of all new HIV infections in the world, those in sub-Saharan Africa account for more than two-thirds of that number, as of 2008. In helping to fight the battle against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, AFCA provides critical antiretroviral medicine and other related medications, medical equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements, emergency supplies needed by the institutions in AFCA’s targeted areas, as well as critical support for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, which included training of personnel. Currently, AFCA collaborates with twenty-eight partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.
History
The organization, operating under the name Global Foundation for Children with AIDS until 2005, received its 501(c)(3) status in March 2004. Its headquarters were originally located in Lawrence, KS, but were moved to Harrisburg, PA, in August 2008. AFCA’s first partners were the Pediatric Infectious Disease Clinic at the Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Uganda; St. Mary’s Mission Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya; and the Mombasa Community-Based Health Care and AIDS Relief Program in Mombasa, Kenya. AFCA expanded its partnerships in 2005 to include St. Joseph’s Shelter of Hope Center in Voi, Kenya, later adding St. Mary’s Mission Hospital and St. Theresa’s Home of Hope in Elementita , Kenya, in 2007. Also in 2007, AFCA began working with a program called Zimbabwe Orphans through Extended Hands (ZOE) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. In 2008, AFCA began partnering with the Church of the Ascension in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and in 2009, AFCA expanded its partnerships by collaborating with Tandala Hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kilembe Mines Hospital in Uganda. In 2011, AFCA expanded its partnerships to include 16 additional clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo.AFCA is a member of the Children’s Medical Charities of America and in May 2007, AFCA received the Best in America Seal of Excellence from the Independent Charities of America. This seal is awarded “to the members of Independent Charities of America and Local Independent Charities of America that have, upon rigorous independent review, been able to certify, document, and demonstrate on an annual basis that they meet the highest standards of public accountability, program effectiveness, and cost effectiveness. These standards include those required by the US Government for inclusion in the Combined Federal Campaign, probably the most exclusive fund drive in the world. Of the 1,000,000 charities operating in the United States today, it is estimated that fewer than 50,000, or 5 percent, meet or exceed these standards, and, of those, fewer than 2,000 have been awarded this Seal.”
AFCA meets 20 out of 20 standards from the Better Business Bureau.
Mission
The mission of AFCA is to help “HIV+/AIDS children and their guardians in sub-Saharan Africa who have no other access to aid. AFCA provides critical AIDS and related medications, medical equipment and supplies, nutritional supplements, and emergency supplies that are requested by the institutions in its targeted areas.”AFCA’s approach to HIV care is family oriented. In addition to providing care for HIV-infected children from ages 0 through 19, the organization provides pregnant women who are HIV positive with the antiretroviral medication required to prevent the transmission of HIV to their unborn children. This preventive care is an important aspect of the care provided by AFCA since according to UNAIDS, reversal of the global HIV epidemic will not occur unless there is a decrease in the number of new HIV infections. AFCA also provides antiretroviral and other medicines for the HIV-positive guardians of infected children to prolong the guardians’ lives, thus preventing the children from becoming orphans.
The main fundraiser AFCA utilizes to fulfill its mission is called Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up. This fundraiser consists of outdoor events, which cater to individuals of any age or ability: Climb Up: Kilimanjaro, Climb Up: Gunnison, Climb Up: Nigeria, and Climb Up:Tacoma are some of the events currently supporting AFCA's work.
External links
- American Foundation for Children with AIDS official web site
- Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up official web site