Gede Foundation - Promoting Health and Hope in Africa

Training on HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing (HCT) - A Global Fund-Sponsored Project
Gede Foundation, in collaboration with Society for Family Health (SFH) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, organized training workshops in Makurdi, Gwagwalada, and Kano on counseling and testing from March 5 to March 29, 2007. The project was supported by Global Fund to meet Objective Two (Round 5) aimed at increasing the uptake of HIV/AIDS counseling and testing in the secondary and primary health centers in 37 states of Nigeria (Project Title: Round 5 Global Fund for the Scale-up of Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Treatment, Care and Support in Nigeria).

The training was scheduled in two cycles: March 5-16, 2007 and March 19-29, 2007 to build capacity for HIV counseling and testing among health care workers in seven (7) states across northern Nigeria. One hundred ninety six (196) participants from at least 60 health facilities across seven (7) states attended the workshops. The main participants at the Makurdi training site were health workers from 18 health facilities across Taraba and Kogi states, with a few coming from Nassarawa and Niger. The Gwagwalada training site was participated in by 69 health workers from 28 facilities across Niger and Benue states. The Kano training site included 63 participants from 22 health facilities based in Adamawa, Katsina, and Nassarawa states.

The next training schedule for 144 participants from 48 health facilities based in Sokoto, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau, and Gombe states will be from November 5-30, 2007.

Gede Foundation Visits the Nyanya Community
On July 13, 2006 Gede Foundation visited Nyanya to conduct a free testing and awareness program in collaboration with Unique AIDS, a support group of people living with HIV/AIDS located in the community. It was open to all interested participants. There were 111 individuals who availed of tests for HIV, malaria, and TB. Fourteen (14) were found to be HIV positive.

Self Actualization Workshop for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in the Federal Capital Territory
A self actualization workshop was organized for orphans and vulnerable children at the Cultural Centre in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, on January 14, 2006. It was conducted by Gede Foundation’s program officers: Claire Ebegbare, Grace Chiroko, and Godwin Etim. Fourteen children attended the workshop whose objectives were the following:

Improved knowledge of prevention and control of STIs/HIV/AIDS
Improved life-building skills towards sustainable reproductive health
Increased level of knowledge on exploration and maximization of potential.

The program was supported by World Bank and Federal Capital Territory Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (FACA).

Gede Foundation Partners with AFRICARE for WISE Project
Africare has chosen Gede Foundation as one of its partners in the implementation of the
Women’s Initiative for Sex Education and Economic Empowerment (WISE) Project.
Funded by Japan Social Development Fund and the World Bank, its goal is to educate and empower women within the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria and its environs (who may be or have already been forced into sex work as a result of social, cultural and economic factors) to live healthier lives. The project will provide reproductive health training to 5,000 women, vocational training to 2,500 women and start-up equipment to 1,000 women. Gede Foundation provides voluntary confidential counseling and testing services for HIV as well as testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).Target communities include Apo, Bwari, Jikwoyi, Kubwa, New Karu, Nyanya, Old Karu, Nyanya, Mararaba, Mpape, Suleja and Zuba. The partnership started in January 2006 and will continue through the end of the year.

Abuja Community Outreach
To promote health and hope among vulnerable and indigent residents, Gede Foundation staff visited several communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from February 6 and March 14 2006, to (1) disseminate information about the importance of knowing one’s HIV status, (2) provide free medical testing for HIV, TB, malaria, and typhoid and (3) offer counseling.

Gede Foundation conducted the community outreach services in collaboration with the NYSC Medical Group and Carpenter’s Foundation.

Overall, 1,050 individuals at the Utako Market, the National Youth Service Corps Camp (NYSC), Kubwa Village, Durumi Village, Anawim Home and three brothels in Gwagwalada received medical and health services.


VCT at the popular Utako Market in FCT	VCT at the NYSC camp, Kubwa	VCT at the ANAWIM motherless baby home


VCT at Durumi Community	Advocacy visit to Chief Palace prior to the VCT in Kubwa community	One of the babies at the ANAWIM home

At the Utako Market, staff from Gede and the NYSC Medical Group conducted an awareness and testing visit on February 23, 2006. Utako Market is considered one of the biggest markets in the FCT. Services were provided to a total of 154 individuals. People lined up until the early evening to be tested. Similar testing services were provided to 114 individuals in Kubwa Village by staff from Gede Foundation and Carpenter’s Foundation. Staff from Gede Foundation visited the NYSC Camp on two separate occasions during the community outreach exercise and tested a total of 398 individuals. At Durumi Village, 312 individuals received tests for HIV, TB, malaria, and typhoid.

Gede Foundation staff also provided medical and health services to 37 adolescents at the Anawim Home, an orphanage for the homeless, street children, and pregnant girls. The orphanage is run by Sister Oresoa and has a program that teaches income-generating skills to sex workers. An additional 35 sex workers residing at three sites in Gwagwalada were tested by Gede staff based on Sister Oresoa’s request. The residents at Gwagwalada are counseled by professionals at the Anawim Home.

Gede Foundation visited Durumi Village on March 14, 2006, working with its partner in the community, the Organization for Positive Productivity (OPP). OPP and Gede Foundation have worked in partnership since 2003 on several programs. On this occasion, OPP mobilized the villagers to come out for the free testing activity. Three hundred twelve (312) people availed of the tests, including the village chief. Officers and members of OPP were on hand to talk to those who tested positive.

Besides the HIV test, tests for TB, malaria, and typhoid were conducted in these communities. The largest number of TB cases was found among sex workers while the highest number of positive results for malaria and typhoid were found among residents of Anawim Home.

Of the 1,050 tested individuals, 74 were found positive for HIV. As always, Gede Foundation staff maintained the highest level of confidentiality and professionalism to protect the rights of all individuals receiving services. Individuals who tested positive for HIV were advised to visit the Gede Foundation clinic for a more thorough examination. With the help of the Carpenter’s Foundation, individuals who tested positive for HIV would be counseled and referred to support groups.

Gede Foundation will continue its community outreach efforts with the objective of promoting health and hope within the community.

Gede Foundation and PharmAccess Foundation Team Up to Educate the Royal Netherlands Embassy (RNE) Staff
The PharmAccess Foundation and Gede Foundation teamed up to provide training services for HIV awareness and prevention to the staff of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. The RNE HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention programme was launched last December 9, 2005 at Maitama, Abuja with the theme: AIDS is real. Halt the spread - get tested. Gede Foundation will provide testing and counseling services to the embassy staff for a period of one year.

At the launch, the Ambassador of the Royal Netherlands Embassy outlined the problem of HIV/AIDS in Africa. He mentioned the first case of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and went further to outline the social problems that increase the spread of the disease. The great concern on the orphan problem brought about the initiation of the HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program in the Foreign Ministry and the same is now being implemented at the Embassy.

Soon after the launch, Gede Foundation laboratory staff conducted counseling services to staff members and their families who wished to be tested. The mobile laboratory was used to conduct ELISA tests on site as part of the day's activities.

Gede Foundation joins ICASA preparations
The 14th International Conference on AIDS/STIs in Africa (ICASA) will be held in Abuja, Nigeria on December 4-9, 2005. The UNAIDS sponsored conference will showcase the role of families with focus on orphans and vulnerable children as well as child-headed households in the community. Gede Foundation joins in the preparations by way of participating in a press conference together with other major stakeholders. Gede Foundation’s OVC Scholarship Program officers submitted two abstracts addressing issues on OVC:

Vulnerability of children orphaned by AIDS under surviving parents/caregivers in Abuja, Nigeria
Increasing income-generating opportunities for PLWHIV Caregivers towards effective care and support OVC Programs

Several members of the Gede Foundation staff will attend the conference in December.

Kabussa Community Orphans benefit from FACA grant

Youths of Kabussa Community after the selection exercise

Kabussa, a community so remote from the urban area, has little access to affordable health and social facilities resulting to its community members’ poor knowledge of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. Kabussa community has more than 241 orphans, mostly because their parent(s) died of HIV/AIDS. A total of 42 orphans from this community had been identified to become eligible recipients of the FACA grant which is administered through Gede Foundation’s OVC Scholarship Program. The Federal Capital Territory Action Committee on AIDS (FACA), is a World Bank sponsored grant.

Gede Foundation Volunteer Donates Clothing to Orphans
Daphna Katz is a 15 year old student volunteer from the United States. She applied as a volunteer for Gede Foundation in 2003 and has since made several contributions that made a difference in the lives of Gede Foundation’s OVC Scholars. The volunteer work was originally a school project but two years have passed and she is still making contributions to the OVC Scholarship Program of the foundation. Several contributions in the form of cash, books and clothing were received from Daphna in the last two years. Recently, she sent another boxful of clothing for the OVC Scholars. The items will be distributed to the orphans during their get together activities.

Day of the African Child June 16, 2005
Gede Foundation joined the rest of the organizations all over the African continent in observing the Day of the African Child. The theme of the event was Orphans and Vulnerable Children. It focused on African children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and those afflicted by the disease. Media personnel who were invited to a press conference held at the Abuja office premises had the chance to meet the orphans who enjoy the Gede Foundation scholarship grant. The orphans had an opportunity to share their experiences with the media people and to convey their appreciation and gratitude to the foundation for keeping their hopes alive. They expressed concern for fellow orphans whose needs have yet to be addressed calling on the Nigerian government to work with NGOs in addressing the needs of the growing number of orphans. A study conducted by the UNICEF disclosed that in 2003 there were 7.0 million orphans of which 1.8 million were orphaned by AIDS. The number of orphans is expected to rise to 8.2 million by 2010.