LAUNCH OF GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA/ WORLD BANK
CIVIL SOCIETY SUB-PROJECTS FOR HIV/AIDS
JULY 21, 2005
Le Meridien Pegasus

Eleven Civil Society Organisations have been selected as a first batch of organisations to receive funding in the Government of Guyana/ World Bank HIV/ AIDS Prevention & Control Project (GAPCP). The Project, managed by the Health Sector Development Unit of the Ministry of Health issued a call for proposals in April of this year. Twenty-one organisations applied for funding.

GAPCP took effect when an Agreement was signed between the Government of Guyana and the World Bank in May 2003. The project was officially launched in March, earlier this year. Apart from providing funding to civil society organisations, the project will be financing Line Ministry Programs and will strengthen the Ministry of Health’s capacity to fight HIV/ AIDS.

A total of G$52.8 Million (US$264,159) will be disbursed to the eleven organisations for projects targeting youth, Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), miners, Commercial Sex Workers, Amerindians and the general public. The sub-projects reach areas as far as the North Rupununi, Mahdia, Kurupung, Matthews Ridge, Port Kaituma, Corriverton/ Upper Corentyne, Coomaka, Kwakwani, Ituni and Belladrum as well as the well populated areas in Regions 2, 3, 4, 6 and 10.

The organisations receiving funding are the Roadside Baptist Church & Skills Training Centre (Region 6), Artistes in Direct Support (Regions 2, 4, 6 & 10), The President’s Youth Award (Regions 2, 6, 7, 10), the Guyana Conference of Seven Day Adventists (Region 5), Iwokrama International Centre (Regions 8 & 9) Linden Care Foundation (Region 10), Operation Restoration (Regions 3 & 4), Tuschen/ Uitvlugt NDC AIDS Committee (Region 3), Lifeline Counselling Services (Region 4), Family Planning Association of Guyana (Regions 2-7, 10) and the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (Regions 1, 7, 8,9).

Proposals were submitted on May 30th 2005 and reviewed by a broad-based Technical Committee. The second call for proposals will be made shortly.

Asmita Chand
Civil Society Coordinator
GAPCP
Health Sector Development Unit