Introduction

Pride Community Health Organisation (PCHO), based in Zambia, was founded in 2003 as a support group for people living with HIV and to improve the quality of life of the community through the establishment of targeted income generating activities. As the needs of the community changed, so too did the services provided by the organisation. Currently, PCHO‘s mission is to provide preventative care and support services through home-based care as well as livelihood development for people living with and affected by HIV and TB as a means to improve their quality of lives. The main objectives of the organisation are to disseminate information on HIV, facilitate the formation of support groups, advocate for the rights of people living with HIV, and to provide care and support to special groups, which include orphans and vulnerable children, youth, women and people with disabilities. The organisation has made a considerable difference to the community by providing role models to young people and designing holistic HIV prevention and mitigation programmes. Importantly, PCHO has contributed to a reduction in the levels of stigma by encouraging people to speak freely about their HIV status. The PCHO recently started a women‘s programme focusing on sex workers, which will introduce interventions that highlight the importance of getting tested for HIV and knowing one‘s status. PCHO also provides outreach services to youth which address issues of gender inequality. Lastly, PCHO organizes income-generation activities which seek to generate enough revenue to sustain operational cost and partially support community programmes. The goal of PCHO‘s income-generation activities is to become self-sustaining thus decreasing the financial reliance on donor funding.

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Successes

• Made a considerable difference to the community by providing role models to young people and designing holistic HIV prevention and mitigation programmes.
• Contributed to a reduction in the levels of stigma by encouraging people to speak freely about their HIV status.
• Recently started a women‘s programme focusing on sex workers, which will introduce interventions that highlight the importance of getting tested for HIV and knowing one‘s status.
• Organization of income-generation activities ,which seek to generate enough revenue to sustain operational cost and partially support community programmes.
• In 2009, PCHO started a revolving fund to facilitate the provision of soft loans through a micro-credit scheme.
• PCHO‘s efforts to become increasingly self-sustaining are important as they contribute to the longevity of this organisation and its ability to continue to provide crucial support services to people living with HIV and tuberculosis.

Partnerships

• Child Fund Zambia
• Support to the HIV/AIDS Response in Zambia (SHARe)
• Egmont Trust of the United Kingdom
• Zambia National Aids Network (ZNAN)
• Local Capacity Building Programme
• The District Aids Task Force
• District Health Office
• Japanese International Cooperation Agency

Contact

E-mail:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Phone: +260 977421164
Address: 
Shikoswe Site and Service S33/8
Kafue
Lusaka 10101
Zambia