Remarks by U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires David Young
PEPFAR Small Grants Ceremony and Workshop
U.S. Embassy, Lusaka, Zambia
September 9, 2020
(as prepared for delivery)
Dr. Connie Osbourne, National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council, Director General
Ladies and gentlemen
All other protocols observed.
Good morning. I welcome you to the U.S. Embassy’s awards ceremony for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief—or PEPFAR—Small Grants Program. We are here today because of the essential partnership between the U.S. government, the Zambian government, and civil society.
We created the PEPFAR Small Grants Program to support the development of small, local partners. The U.S. government takes pride in its support of grassroots, community-based organizations, such as yours. Community and civil society are key to the U.S. and Zambian governments’ strategy to reach and maintain HIV epidemic control. You may think your program is small and not contributing as much as some of the larger organizations funded by the U.S. government. Do not underestimate your effectiveness. Your work, your dedication to your communities, and to serving the people living with HIV are just as important to PEPFAR as the larger organizations. We are all working toward a common goal that we cannot reach without each other.
The Small Grants Program focuses on three specific areas: providing opportunities for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) to grow and positively contribute to Zambia’s future, through HIV prevention, and through democracy and governance related to the national HIV response.
This year, the PEPFAR Small Grants Program, through the generosity of the American people, will award over 2.6 million kwacha to 17 non-governmental organizations representing seven provinces in Zambia. Your organizations were selected after a rigorous and competitive process from over 250 applications. I applaud your efforts for standing out.
You impressed our grant committee with your dedication, passion, and resourcefulness. Your organizations recognized unmet needs in your communities and offered creative solutions to bring the necessary services to these communities. I would like to highlight some outstanding examples or projects:
- Strengthen capacity of 40 OVC caregivers through training in parenting and business skills;
- Use performing arts to educate adolescents about HIV testing and counseling services;
- Expand routine cares services and basic healthcare and support to 1,000 inmates living with HIV; and
- Strengthen adolescent girls and young women ability to advocate on issues related to child marriage in their community through skills building workshops
On behalf of the U.S. government, I am proud to launch the 2020 PEPFAR Small Grants Program. I look forward to hearing about your continued success throughout the next year. Thank you for your partnership and joining the U.S. government and NAC to contribute to Zambia’s national HIV response. Thank you. Zikomo kwambili.