Western Cape Networking AIDS Community of South Africa

Together with the Dept of Health, Dept of Social Development, The City of Cape Town and international donors, WC-NACOSA capacitates emerging CBOs, faith-based organizations (FBOs) and even established NGOs with the necessary organizational and technical skills needed to run their organizations effectively. A series of training workshops in project management, and a mentoring programme are offered in addition to a providing a small seed-grant to emerging organizations that meet the criteria for funding. WC-NACOSA has an extensive network database of CBOs, FBOs, NGOs, Health Committees and other relevant stakeholders in the Western Cape HIV/ AIDS sector. Quarterly consultative forum meetings for WC-NACOSA members are regularly held in the Cape Metro, West Coast/ Winelands, Boland/ Overberg and Southern Cape/ Karoo. Covering the entire province. A representative from each region then meet once a quarter and serve on an advisory and consultative board for WC-NACOSA. Besides newsletters and updates, motivational reading material and personal stories of people living with AIDS are also published. Two networks that focus specifically on children and HIV (Children’s HIV/ AIDS Network- CHAiN) and community home-base care (Community Based Care Coalition- CBCC) have also been established. WC-NACOSA further provides people working in the HIV/ AIDS sector mechanisms for addressing issues like poor delivery of services in their regions. Their issues are taken up by the project with government on a provincial/ region and local level. WC-NACOSA hosts the Masibambisane bi-annual summit that allows for intense dialogue between government and civil society.

Innovation

This is very good model of effectively connecting government and civil society on HIV/ AIDS issues and equipping smaller NGOs working in the sector to better their services.

Effectiveness

There are currently 35 organisations on the WC-NACOSA mentoring programme, whilst funding for another eight organizations have been secured. The last financial year saw 680 participants attending 30 capacity building training workshops in the province. During this time, R 509 572 in small grants was allocated to 18 organisations. Their database has more than 600 organisations, of which 400 are community organizations. The CHAiN and CBCC projects bring together over 500 community organisations.

Poverty Impact

WC-NACOSA supports community HIV/ AIDS organizations to better manage their services, learn more from other organizations and have the opportunity to be a part of a body that keeps government accountable on its HIV/ AIDS strategies. Through this, WC-NACOSA has an impact on the lives of under-resourced communities in the Western Cape.

Sustainability

WC-NACOSA has funding secured until December 2008. The Dept of Health are their biggest funder (52%), donating R 1 338 881. 23% is sourced from the provincial Dept of Social Development, with a contribution of R 590 408. Oprah Angel Network & Rockefeller Brothers sponsor 10% to WC-NACOSA that totals on R 247 527. City of Cape Town funds 8% adding up to R204 088. All funding help cover an expenditure of R1 312 531 for the period April 07-Aug07

Replication

This model could be replicated in other provinces and not only in the HIV /AIDS sector. There is a need for such a networking and capacity building project that lobby government in the various social development sectors in South Africa.

Partnership

• Various HIV/AIDS related NGOs, FBOs and government agencies
• Local and international funders
• National Dept of Health
• Provincial Dept of Social Development
• City of Cape Town