CHURCH RECEIVES SUPPORT ON HIV/AIDS CAMPAIGN
CONN/691005
ABUJA, OCTOBER 20, 2005-The campaign by the Anglican Communion in the country to stem the HIV/AIDS Pandemic has received a boost with a grant of N2.5 million.
The support was secured from ENHANSE, an NGO, to enable the church prosecute its public enlightenment and education programmes on the pandemic.
Venerable Dr. Christian Ebisike, director of social welfare in the church, received the award on behalf of the Anglican Communion at a recent ceremony held in Abuja.
He said that more training programmes would be organized for the bishops in different provinces of the church in the country.
``Our target is to empower the 93 Anglican bishops in Nigeria, who would lead the campaign to train clergy and laity in their dioceses, to actively respond in a Christian approach in combating the pandemic,'' he said.
Ebisike noted that the mission statement of the church shows there is a need to strive toward a future generation that would live in a world free from HIV/AIDS.
Church of Nigeria delegation receiving the award from Polly Punford of USAIDS
The grant would best serve that purpose and assist the church, he said.
The clergyman stated that since 2004, the church's four-year strategic plan and policy document on HIV/AIDS had been faithfully implemented, with emphasis on prevention, voluntary counselling, testing and creation of awareness.
The Anglican Church was one of the nine organizations that received the award during the programme.
The Chief of Programme of ENHANSE, Dr Jerome Mafebi, said at the ceremony that the project, which would run for five years, would cost about 19.2 million dollars.
The nine organizations selected for year one funding were awarded a total grant of N24.6 million.
They are expected to contribute N12.5 million as counterpart fund, bringing the total cost of the project to N37.2 million.
ENHANSE project aims to create, strengthen and support an enabling environment necessary for a successful social sector and HIV/AIDS and TB programmes in the country. It supports civil society organizations, faith based groups and multiplier organizations through grant, and linking health and education civil society partners.
The project cost was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that has been assisting the government of Nigeria in the area of policy development.
The granting process that led to the award of the grant to the Anglican Church opened in 2004, after ENHANSE solicited for indication of interests from research institutions, universities, government agencies and organizations with national outlook.
A total of 423 concept papers were received and processed. Of this number, 26 were finally selected to be developed into full proposals for consideration and possible funding.
Series of workshops and screenings finally produced nine organizations, which will access ENHANSE grant for the first year.
The recipients include Safe Motherhood Partners, Jos, Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Nigerian HIV/AIDS Research Network Abuja, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives and the Civil Society Network on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.
Others are the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS, Lagos, Health, Justice, Peace and Development, Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Kaduna and African Regional Health Education Center, Ibadan.
Other members of the Church of Nigeria team present at the presentation were the National HIV/AIDS coordinator, Mr Emmanuel Olatunji, Rev. Sam Akale and Mr Peter Onwubuariri.
