List of DanChurchAid partners:
Malawi Interfaith AIDS Association
Malawi Interfaith AIDS Association (MIAA) has a national mandate to coordinate all efforts of the Faith and religious community in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Malawi. MIAA also brings mother bodies of different faith based organisations together to speak with one voice in advocating for the rights of people who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
DCA’s support to MIAA has started in 2008 and will go up to 2010 in a project that aims at reducing spread of HIV infection by addressing gender and power relations within the faith perspective.
Chisomo Children’s Club
Chisomo Children’s Club works on the streets to promote the rights and opportunities of street children in the two major Malawian towns, Blantyre and Lilongwe. Street children are one of the most vulnerable groups with regard to HIV/AIDS, and Chisomo works to develop life skills of the children, in particular within the area of HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation. Chisomo tries to give the children education and income opportunities and to create links between the children and relatives or other persons in the local communities. The organisation is also doing advocacy work both for and with street children in order to shed light on their inherent rights, general plight and potentials. DanChurchAid has supported Chisomo since 1991.
Salima Aids Support Organisation
Salima AIDS Support Organization (SASO) has been in operation since 1994, and most of the staff works on a voluntary basis. The objective of SASO is to contribute to reducing new HIV infections and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in the district of Salima. Among other activities the organisation works within the areas of home-based care, voluntary counselling and testing, support to orphans and other vulnerable children and prevention of HIV/AIDS. SASO also runs a “Children’s Corner” which is visited by more than 500 children every week. Once a week, the children can come, learn about HIV/AIDS, play and get a free meal.
Society for Women and AIDS in Malawi
Society for Women and AIDS in Malawi (SWAM) is a member of the Pan African organisation Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA). SWAM became operational in Malawi in 2003 and focuses on promoting access to prevention, care, support and counseling to people living with AIDS. Gender inequalities and women’s rights are main issues in SWAM’s HIV/AIDS advocacy work. With support from DanChurchAid SWAM hopes to increase the accessibility for young men and women to reproductive information and services, to reduce the gender inequalities that further the spread of HIV/AIDS as well as to promote the modification and elimination of negative cultural practices.
Christian Health Association of Malawi
Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) is an umbrella organisation which coordinates the health services provided by the 167 Protestant and Catholic member hospitals and health clinics. The members of CHAM account for approximately 40 per cent of all health institutions in Malawi. Within the HIV/AIDS programme, CHAM does advocacy work on HIV/AIDS and works with capacity building of the health units to support and care for those already affected. The member organisations also work to improve the nutrition status amongst people living with AIDS and other vulnerable groups. Furthermore, they provide voluntary counselling, prevention and treatment of other sexually transmitted diseases as well as provision of safe blood supplies. DanChurchAid has cooperated with CHAM since 1989.
Evangelical Association of Malawi
The Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) aims at improving the access to social services for people living with AIDS and strengthening their participation in decision-making processes and development activities. The organisation focuses on the widespread stigmatisation and discrimination of HIV/AIDS affected people. EAM advocates for the development of HIV/AIDS policies and for breaking the silence around taboos such as HIV/AIDS, human rights and gender issues. Furthermore, the organisation trains voluntary counsellors and fights for the abolition of harmful religious and cultural beliefs and practices which are aggravating the discrimination of HIV/AIDS affected people.
Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi
Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi (QMAM) is a faith-based organisation working with HIV/AIDS and other development issues. The objective of QMAM is to fight against all AIDS related stigma and discrimination, gender inequalities and human rights violations amongst the HIV/AIDS affected in the Salima district.
A large share of the Quadria Muslim community in Salima (especially women and girls) is illiterate and severely hit by HIV/AIDS, largely due to their religious as well as traditional beliefs and practices. QMAM attempts to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS by intervening in these practices and provides psychosocial support to people living with AIDS.