RE: Draft GAA African Office

[Guest guest]

Excellent!!!

____________________________________

Segal

Legislative Assistant, Healthcare Specialist

Congressman Conyers Jr.

2426 Rayburn HOB

Washington DC 20515

(202) 225-5126

.Segal@...

> ----------

> From: Chatinkha Nkhoma[sMTP:chatinkha@...]

> Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2000 6:33 PM

> AIDS treatmentegroups

> Subject: [AIDS treatment] Draft GAA African Office

>

> The concept of forming the GAA was derived from a need to have an African

> oriented responce towards HIV/AIDS. It is obvious that, Africa on its

> own

> will never be able to get the exploding pandemic under control to the

> state

> that the USA or Europe has managed to do without appropriate funding. It

> is

> also obvious that the resources needed to be mobilized have to come from

> the

> wellwishers in the USA and Europe, who not only have the capacity and

> capability to do so, but need to be made aware and given the will to do

> so.

>

> Needless to say there are many unilateral attempts being made to address

> this tragic problem. Most of these attempts are being driven by different

> needs, the need for humanity, need for duty, need for morality to prevail,

> need for capitalising on it etc. What is now needed is to unify these

> needs, remove the atificial needs which are wasting not only precious

> time,

> but lives and put into action our committments and rhetorics.

>

> As much as there has been all these efforts and more, all iniatives and

> discussions have been derived from the outside Africa. African have

> usually

> been told what to do and how to do it. GAA was formed to bridge these

> gaps

> and most importantly give the African people a voice so as to direct

> responces according to their needs, not the donors requirement. It is

> very

> important to understand that many projects and programs have failed for

> lack

> of this collaboration. It is only common sense to know that the

> trickle-down approach that has been in use usually does not take into

> account the enviromental, cultural, social and political situations of the

> recepient people. Needless to say, short trips to Africa and the affected

> areas/communities cannot give one a true prespective of their real needs.

>

> Creating an African office will allow Africans to fully participate in

> matter concerning their lifes. The usual " colonial " syndrome of dictating

> what Africans need because the funds are coming from " us " has never work

> and

> is a waste of time and energy on but sides. It is therefore, natural that

> for our efforts to have impact on the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, we have

> to involve full participation of Africans, the infected and affected

> populance.

>

> Functions of the Office

>

> An Africa office will collect the voices from all African civil societies,

> government, communities and merge them into action oriented movements and

> activities.

>

> The office will coordinate implementations of programs/projects after

> funding is secured in the USA and Europe.

>

> The office will also coordinate responses in the form of grants, services,

> activities, events etc.

>

> It will be through this office that partnership will be fostered between

> all

> the global organizations, civil societies, individual, governments,

> agencies

> etc. and African communities.

>

> This office will also be able to monitor progress and comply records,

> thought reporting of the impact the GAA is having for the benefit of all

> involved, donors and African communities.

>

> It will be able to do impact assessments, evaluations, design programs,

> act

> as an information and resource coordinator among other duties that it will

> be call upon to do.

>

> The office will also be able to facilitate any arrangements for those who

> wish to travel to Africa and do some volunteer work in any field regarding

> HIV/AIDS.

>

> The office will also try to coordinate partnership between medical

> personal

> for exchange of information and skills building.

>

> Most important for GAA, will be to be able to have different partners in

> the

> alliance have the freedom to work in an environment where all are viewed

> as

> equal partners with equal importance to ensure that the real aim for this

> organization is materialized, that is to stop the rampant killings of

> human

> from HIV/AIDS, regardless where the funding is coming from. To do this,

> an

> African office is imperative. Without one, it is business as usual.

>

> The Set-Up

>

> The office will require to have a headquarters located in African country

> agreed upon by the working committee. This office will have paid staffed

> and volunteers accordingly. From this location, all African oranizations

> will be able to use this as communication bases. The extent and size of

> the

> office will be determined by the need and available funding. This office

> will not onky depend on funding from the GAA, but will also creative

> income

> generating activities to help run some of its programs/projects. It will

> also be in full and good standing with the International Agencies (e.g.

> UNAIDS, UNPFA, USAID, Save The Childrens, Action Aid etc)so as to access

> all

> the possible funding available.

>

>

> This outline of the African Office is a draft. Please feel free to make

> comments and changes as you see fit. Welcome also are contructive

> criticism.

>

>

> Chatinkha Nkhoma

>

>

>

>

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