FOCCAD
Foundation for Community and Capacity Development
Reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths in eastern Malawi.
FOCCAD + Blood:Water Partnership
In partnership with Blood;Water, Foundation for Community and Capacity Development (FOCCAD) serves the Nkhotakota and Kachere communities within the Dedza district of Malawi, along with bordering communities. These communities have a high prevalence of HIV. They work primarily with young women and their children, as well as with children who have lost one or both parents to HIV-related illnesses.
The goal of the current project with Blood:Water is to radically change the lives of 3,840 young women and adolescent girls as well as 784 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC)* by reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths. FOCCAD will accomplish this by:
- Increasing access to HIV prevention and testing for 3,480 young women and their families
- Providing comprehensive HIV palliative care and support to 150 HIV-positive mothers and 784 orphans and vulnerable children through economic empowerment, HIV treatment adherence, and retention.
*OVC (orphaned and/or vulnerable children) refers to children who have lost their parents – or are at risk of losing one or both parents – to HIV-related illness
Health Context
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Malawi face a myriad of challenges that have an impact on sustainable development in Malawi. AGYW are facing generational cycles of gender inequality, poverty and economic dependence, systemically limiting their opportunities in adulthood while some are OVC and this exacerbate their vulnerability to HIV infections. While the national HIV and AIDs prevalence rate stands at 8.5%; 33% of the new infections in adult is among the AGYW aged 15-24 years.
Partner History
Foundation for Community and Capacity Development (FOCCAD) is a community-based, non-governmental organization currently working in the Dedza district and other regions of Malawi to bridge the gap to HIV treatment, care, and support. Founded in 2003, FOCCAD’s mission is to alleviate human suffering from disease, hunger, poverty, and social injustice by creating and implementing participatory and sustainable health solutions.
FOCCAD delivers grassroots programming in hard-to-reach and underserved communities in Malawi. The organization improves the health and livelihoods of young adults, women, and children in Malawi by providing communities with emergency medical transportation and support, as well as through outreach-based health service delivery.
Learn more at foccad.org.
Partnership Timeline: First grant cycle (partnership started in 2022)
Malawi Profile
From the late 15th to the 18th centuries, a prosperous Kingdom of Maravi - from which the name Malawi derives - extended its reach into what are now areas of Zambia and Mozambique. In 1889, a British Central African Protectorate was established, which was renamed Nyasaland in 1907. African nationalism in Malawi began in the early 1950s in opposition to British colonization. However, it did not gain momentum until after 1958 under Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s leadership, who led the country to independence in 1963. Not many years later Malawi was declared a Republic, and Banda was made president for life. After years of operation under a single-party government, the Alliance for Democracy and the United Democratic Front (UDF) emerged, eventually leading to the first free election in over 30 years. In 1994, Banda was defeated by Bakili Muluzi of the UDF.
Through the rule of Muluzi and his predecessors, including Bingu wa Mutharika, Joyce Banda, Peter Mutharika and Lazarus Chakwera, the country has continuously struggled with economic and social progress, food shortage, and the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Country Population: 21 million people
National Languages: English (official) and Chewa (common)
Sources: Brittanica | CIA Factbook (2022)