This is AgriAids

AgriAids is a NGO supporting the South African agricultural industry to actively address the problem of HIV/Aids. AgriAids promotes an integrated approach where awareness as well as treatment are considered essential to fight the pandemic.

AgriAids main task is to reduce the direct effects of HIV/Aids on farm workers and their dependants.

Mission :
AgriAids empowers farm workers to be responsible for their own wellness, through implementing HIV and other life improving programmes on farms and farming communities.

Objectives :
Reduce the economical and social vulnerability of South African agribusiness, farm workers and rural communities to the impact of HIV/Aids;
Increase the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within the agricultural sector of South Africa.

Principles of AgriAids:

AgriAids has a policy to build long standing relationships with partners from the initial stage awareness, till and after care and support (chain approach).
We will together with the implementing partners monitor thoroughly that people get indeed the care and service our clients deserve.
For sustainability reasons we work in close collaboration with the public health sector preferably.

Background :
Farm workers are the most under serviced labourers in South Africa. Poor access to health care and health related information is partly due to their remote location of work. The high incidence of poverty and low level of education makes the farm worker even more vulnerable to the impact of HIV/Aids.

The purpose of AgriAids is to reduce the negative impacts of HIV/AIDS on commercial (including emerging) farms in South Africa. The model of AgriAids is to act as a facilitator or a “broker” between farms and service providers (whom can be from the existing network of partners, but also through identifying and setting up new partnerships). These partners will be subject-specialists in their respective fields and the services will include:

Prevention related activities (i.e. condom provision)
Health-related education (with focus on HIV/AIDS, STI's, TB, etc) and setting up of peer support on farms
Gender-awareness training
Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT)
Care – and Support to HIV+ clients
Provision of ART and adherence management

AgriAids will select farms, prepare them for social mobilization and ensure that all logistical issues are dealt with so that farms can be “ready” for specific prevention, VCT, care and treatment interventions. AgriAids will also ensure quality control and continuous monitoring and evaluation of these interventions.