Brief Description

For almost 20 years CHIVA has partnered with the Department of Health facilitating access to and improving treatment for children and adolescents living with HIV. Our work has evolved over the years but the needs of our beneficiaries - children and adolescents exposed to or living with HIV; and healthcare workers delivering HIV services remain at the core of our work.  
South Africa’s is committed to providing life-saving treatment and supports the largest HIV treatment programme but sadly KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, remains the epicentre of the HIV epidemic. But having the medication available is just the first step; the challenge is in its implementation and continued adherence to medication, especially for the most vulnerable – children and adolescents. CHIVA is currently working in one of the poorest districts in the country and the current data indicates that of the almost 2 000 children on antiretroviral therapy, approximately 12 % are failing treatment and are at risk of dying.

Vision & Mission

Vision
We transform the lives of vulnerable children and adolescents exposed to or living with HIV to lead healthy, happy and positive lives

Mission
We empower children and adolescents exposed to or living with HIV and healthcare workers delivering life-saving HIV treatment and care.

Aims & Activities

1.	To facilitate access to treatment and care for vulnerable children and adolescents exposed to and living with HIV.  Children at risk of dying are identified and treatment and care are provided and managed to ensure a positive health outcome. 
2.	To improve treatment and care of vulnerable children and adolescents exposed to and living with HIV.  Children already on treatment and failing treatment are identified and managed to ensure a positive health outcome. 
3.	Collaborate with partners and share best practices with healthcare workers that sustain services for vulnerable children and adolescents exposed to and living with HIV.  Healthcare worker are capacitated to deliver quality HIV services for all children and adolescents exposed to and living with HIV.
4.	Empower children and adolescents exposed to and living with HIV through activities that address disclosure and adherence and as they mature as youth, are integrated into a youth participation programme.

Facts & Figures

                            CHIVA’s vision, mission and goals all centre around a child and adolescent's  access to life-saving treatment and remaining healthy on treatment so they can live productive lives. Activities are not implemented in isolation, and where possible are multi-pronged and integrated to address all areas that affect a child's or adolescent's healthy development. This includes facility and community-based activities that identify vulnerable children living with HIV and ensure and improve the delivery of treatment while capacitating healthcare workers to sustain treatment in the longer term. However, CHIVA also believes that a child/adolescent living with HIV needs family support to feel accepted, validated and non-discriminated and needs to be empowered to transform their own lives and lead by example to transform the lives of their peers. In order to achieve this CHIVA identifies and mentors' community networks to support children exposed to and living with HIV.
                            

                            The primary beneficiaries are children living with HIV who have been exposed and not on treatment as well as children who are failing anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and at risk of dying.  Data indicates that of the children and adolescents on ART approximately 12% are failing treatment and we know that there are thousands of missing children that have not been identified as HIV positive requiring ART.

The additional beneficiary is the healthcare worker that is based at a clinic delivering HIV services to the child/adolescent failing ART.  Through the child/adolescent CHIVA is able to mentor the facility and community-based healthcare worker and partners while ensuring the child/adolescent's health outcomes improve.  

Youth living with and not living with HIV are the primary beneficiaries of the youth participation programme and communities and families supporting children living with HIV would be secondary beneficiaries.
                            

Awards

No awards received