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Pact AIDS Corps
   Last updated: 16.08.02
Implementers
Pact is an international NGO with 30 years of experience working with networks of NGOs and civil society organizations. Pact’s AIDS Corps was created to help other NGOs and community organizations more effectively battle the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Pact’s headquarters are in Washington D.C. and there are country offices throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and in Peru and Nepal.

The goal of Pact is to keep international attention focused on the epidemic and mobilize resources to help fight it.

Background
Pact has had a long history of working with AIDS support organizations, but the increasing impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa motivated the organization to find a way to escalate their efforts and broaden their approach. The AIDS epidemic is more than just a health crisis. It affects all aspects of a community. Pact believes that a social movement led by those most affected is needed to revitalize hope and galvanize cooperation.

Pact is drawing on the expertise of existing staff and has engaged additional full-time staff and consultants.

Objectives and main activities
The Pact model of expansion is based on the complex interdependence of the rain forest. The web is comprised of community and national leaders, NGOs, government and private sector organizations. This model requires participants to rethink their ideas of traditional boundaries and eliminate the sense of competition between various organizations.

The strategic objectives include:
• Advocating for increased attention and resources.
• Strengthening the capacities of organizations and communities to focus, intensify and sustain their efforts.
• Increasing the diversity of people giving voice to the needs of their communities.
• Developing and disseminating cross-sectoral programs that include aspects of economic and social development.
• Coordinating diverse networks of organizations for maximum impact.

Pact has convened four AIDS Corps meetings so far, with a network of over 100 individuals and organizations. Two meetings in September will include leaders of US foreign aid policy, religious leaders and representatives from pharmaceutical companies and Johns Hopkins University.

Resources and timeframe
The AIDS Corps was inaugurated in January 2000 when Pact provided unrestricted funding to establish the movement and develop country strategies in Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Madagascar.

From April to October, Pact is working with the Africa Bureau of Democracy and Governance Support to develop cross-sectoral approaches to HIV/AIDS, focusing on increasing democratic principles and practices in community-led solutions. In the fall of 2000, Pact will be working with NetAID on country programs in Ethiopia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Plans are now underway to work with UNAIDS in Ethiopia in early 2001.

Outputs/outcomes
It is too early to have specific information about targets and goals. The evaluation process is ongoing as the projects continue to develop. The response from participants, both within the various organizations and among the populations affected, has been positive.

Internal organizational implications
Pact has had to develop a global AIDS Corps Team to deal with the complex communications involved in working with diverse organizations, countries and international partners.

One of Pact’s three strategic pathways is peer partnership in which AIDS Corps can soar internationally and nationally.

Internal support for the AIDS Corps movement is being built. Pact is a project and service oriented organization. Launching a social movement, no matter how compelling, is a different way of doing business at Pact.

Self-fulfilling prophecy - the diverse array of Pact partner NGOs made it a natural to respond to the realization that AIDS has crossed all development sectors.

Pact’s culture is rich in pioneer spirit and risk-taking. The passion of AIDS Corps demands commensurate fundraising, a harrowing challenge.

Evaluation
The project is still in the early stages, no significant evaluations have been made.

Lessons learned
Even though most people now agree that the the HIV/AIDS epidemic involves more than just a health care crisis, it was difficult for some in the health-care organizations to accept Pact’s interest since it did not have a background in this arena. Several groups were also concerned about replicating existing efforts and diverting resources away from projects already underway.

The tradition among NGOs has been to direct resources to specific efforts in one sector, and it will take some effort to broaden this view. Pact would like to see funding integrated in support of cross-sectoral approaches.

Pact has to build on the already good work being done. It has to extend the hand of connectivity and bridge builder. It must demonstrate its skills in coordination and resource mobilisation.

Source: A Question of Scale
This is an extract from A Question of Scale: The challenge of expanding the impact of non-governmental organisations’ HIV/AIDS efforts in developing countries,
by Jocelyn DeJong, published by the Horizons Project of the Population Council with the International HIV/AIDS Alliance in 2001. To view the whole report follow this link.

To download, complete with graphics, in pdf format (which requires Adobe Acrobat software to read it) follow this link (file size 1.43 Mbytes).