HIV/AIDS continues to have a devastating impact on people living in sub-Saharan Africa. Around 25 million people are now living with HIV/AIDS and infection rates are still rising fast. The pandemic is a major cause of premature death and of children being orphaned, and is causing catastrophic social and economic problems.
Link Community Development knows that quality education has a critical part to play in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and 
lessening its impact. Our experience emphasises that the education sector must play a leading role in the collective response to HIV/AIDS.
By targeting HIV/AIDS through all educational angles including the curricula, learning materials, educator and management training, school governing bodies and communities, policy development and school management systems, the combined impact will be stronger.
Links’s current HIV/AIDS-focussed activities include:
HIV/AIDS Action Planning (HAAP):
We train schools and their communities to produce HIV/AIDS action plans which will help them to address specific issues related to HIV/AIDS for their school and to utilise the full range of support available. The plan includes:
- Supporting teachers and community members to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through education and awareness;
- Providing care and support for learners and educators infected and affected by the disease;
- Working together to protect the quality of education;
- Reducing and managing absenteeism as a result of HIV/AIDS;
- Ensuring coherent action from the school, community and other parties
Health Advisory Committees:
- advising school managers on health related matters;
- supporting schools in the implementation of their HIV/AIDS policies and Action Plans;
- developing, implementing and monitoring a School Health Policy; and
- co-ordinating all health-related activities with the school.
We work in partnership with education departments and other service providers to ensure that there is an effective ‘circle of support’ available to identify and support vulnerable children. Through OVC these children can:
- have healthy meals every day;
- get help with homework and be provided with school uniforms;
- get the government documents they need to receive their ARV treatment, inoculations and social protection grants;
- receive care, support and counselling for the trauma they have endured; and
- be housed with family or community members where possible and receive regular home support visits and even food parcels in some cases.
Peer Education:
We provide ongoing training for Peer Educators to promote HIV/AIDS prevention, and care and support for learners.
Link Community Development is the implementing partner for this UNICEF intervention in two provinces of South Africa. Our capacity building initiatives are designed to build the skills and knowledge of District officials, Circuit officials, School Management Teams, School Governing Bodies and Representative Council of Learners, and all include an HIV/AIDS component.
