Hope for AIDS Orphans – The FXB Village Model

The FXB-Village is a low-cost, sustainable, community-based program to help families and communities respond to poverty, AIDS, and the rising number of orphaned and vulnerable children. The FXB-Village aims to strengthen families' capacities to improve their living conditions and lift themselves out of poverty permanently.
 
The FXB-Village provides a comprehensive and integrated package of support to needy families to help them get back on their feet.  It includes multiple components such as income generating activities, medical care, education, professional training, nutritional support, psychosocial support, and HIV prevention and treatment, as well as an introduction to savings and micro-credit.

Each FXB-Village provides 80 to 100 families (between 500 and 600 people, mostly children) with a basic package of health, education, psychosocial support and IGAs. It can operate independently or in parallel with others. The program costs approximately US$172,500 over three years, with scaled down costs each year. Families become increasingly self-sufficient, as they acquire the capacity to manage their own medical and schooling needs. In addition, by financing locally initiated small-scale projects designed to generate a continuous income flow, FXB is investing in the development of a thriving and diverse local economy.

What makes the FXB-Village unique is that it is Low-cost: With an investment of US$ 172,500 over 3 years, FXB staff accompany, advise, evaluate and monitor families progress towards self-sufficiency; Community-based: The Program is embedded in the community and the people participate in choices and decisions concerning them. We work in a bottom-up approach, with special attention to individuals’ needs. The FXB-Village has been developed over the years through continual dialogue between local communities and FXB staff, and has adapted to the evolving context of HIV and AIDS policies and activities; Proven success: Up to 85% of the beneficiary families have succeeded in becoming entirely self-sufficient, at times making a remarkable profit of $1 to $4 a day. Their sustainability lifts them out of poverty.

In order to target impoverished families and avoid duplication of assistance, FXB works closely with basic administrative authorities, heads of PLWHA associations, heads of community groups, representatives of religious groups, anti-AIDS clubs for young people and organizations that provide care for AIDS victims. The selection process takes into account: degree of vulnerability (health status) of the beneficiaries; Situation and integrity of the family hosting AIDS orphans; Number of children receiving care; Capacity and willingness shown by beneficiaries to achieve the program objectives.

As of April 2008, there are 28 FXB-Villages in operation in Burundi (3), India (5), Rwanda (12), Thailand (4) and Uganda (4). Photograph and text for this article courtesy FXB, a partner and Cooperating Organization with dgCommunities HIV/AIDS and Youth for Development.

Youth Community Visioning & Asset Mapping - ICSC Canada

Location: Canada - Dawson Creek, British Columbia; Iqaluit, Nunavut; Vernon/Okanagan Indian Band. Project Description - At ICSC, we are actively engaging youth in community development initiatives both locally in Canada and globally. Our work with youth focuses on youth visioning, planning for the future of their communities, youth strategy develop. . .

Added by  Anuradha Bhattacharjee  May 9, 2008
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TakingITGlobal receives 2nd WorldBlu award in 2 years

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Announcing the National Geographic GLIMPSE Correspondents Program

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Added by  Anuradha Bhattacharjee  May 8, 2008
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Fighting Eviction, Taiwan AIDS Shelter Helps Transform Human Rights Law

A little more than a year ago, Harmony Home, an organization in Taiwan that provides housing and care for HIV-positive people and their children, was facing eviction from its Taipei quarters because of opposition from neighbors who did not want people living with HIV in their community. Now, thanks to the efforts of AIDS advocates in Taiwan and aro. . .

Added by  Anuradha Bhattacharjee  May 8, 2008
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Treating Pediatric AIDS: It Takes a Village

"With children, HIV infection is not treated just by pills. Children need the care of family, they have to have friends, they have to go to school. It's not just medical care." When Dr. Pagakrong Lumbiganon speaks about her work with HIV-positive children at Thailand's Srinagarind Hospital, she chooses her words calmly, but at moments her voice cat. . .

Added by  Anuradha Bhattacharjee  May 8, 2008
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UNICEF annual appeal to meet needs of children and women in global emergencies

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Added by  Anuradha Bhattacharjee  May 7, 2008
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Free four-day Online e-learning Course: NETWORKING IN SUPPORT OF DEVELOPMENT for members in Asia

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Added by  Charlotte Masiello  May 7, 2008
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Support groups in Mozambique offer hope for stopping mother-to-child HIV transmission

Every Wednesday morning, 30-year-old Telzira, who is living with HIV, attends a support group at the health centre in Xai-Xai city. The group offers encouragement to pregnant women and mothers living with HIV. The comfort Telzira receives from other women living with the virus and the nurses who lead the group helps her face the future with hope. “. . .

Added by  Anuradha Bhattacharjee  May 7, 2008
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  Improving Quality of Education in Cameroon – RUDEA’s Vision

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Added by  Kwanga Chia Samuel  May 7, 2008
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Call for Paper: III UCW Seminar on child labour, education and youth employment: a challenge for economic growth and social progress

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Added by  gabriella breglia  May 7, 2008
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