BUSINESS COALITIONS AGAINST HIV/AIDS

Business coalitions are putting up a formidable collective force in the fight against HIV/AIDS through an active and focused application of business infrastructure, skills, and brand power that goes beyond funding.

USAID/K country director, Jane Mwangi said funds from these coalitions are partly used to enable the private sector and NGOs to collect and create knowledge, then turn it into action steps that companies and partners apply, either individually and collectively to bring creativity and innovation, and pivotal core competencies – expertise in areas such as media and public education; logistics and distribution; and health care management.

USAID Kenya invested Sh 44.6 billion ( $548 m) in the year, 2010 through the Kenyan government, the private sector and NGOs in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Globally, in the same year they invested Sh 348.5 billion ($4.1B) in the same campaign, while Sh 2.72 trillions ($32B) has been invested in projects geared towards partnership for an HIV – free generation; since, 2003 when USAID started working with Global Business Coalition (GBC). GBC is a coalition of more than 220 companies spread across 34 countries.

The GBC and HIV Free Generation, Kenya (HFG/K), a global public-private partnership championed by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are united in using business strategies in fighting against HIV/AIDS.

“GBC is committed to empower and enable companies to make the most of their assets in addressing health challenges,” she said.

Through these means the members directly touch the lives of millions of people. They reach their workforce, customers, as well as public and private partners all along the supply chain.

The GBC recognizes the threat diseases poses to workforce, socioeconomic stability, community well being and vitality. The member knows that action is expected of them: It affect the quality of the talent they attract, their brands, and their customers.

HFG/K, country director, Lydia Murimi said they are using public-private implementation model to link the resources of the private sector with those of public sector partners in the HIV – prevention field.

Murimi said behavior change is more likely to be sustained if underlying circumstances that create risk are effectively addressed. She said “these include: lack of economic opportunity, youth disenchantment and disempowerment and gender inequality.”

In addressing economic empowerment HFG/K is seeking to create employment opportunities for the youth, train youth on entrepreneurship and life skills, develop variable experience through internships, mentorship and apprentice opportunities.

Since the prevalence of HIV infection among people 15 to 24 years is 3.8 percent and girls at this age have almost 4 times higher prevalence rate than boys. Provision of micro-credit/seed money for youth business start-ups would also fall into this platform, alongside other innovative interventions, Murimi says this will salvage young girls who are becoming commercial workers at a tender age thus getting infected.

The digital villages and the government's e-health program that will be launched in the course of this year is what these business coalitions want to harness in HIV/AID awareness given that Kenya has the highest number of people using the Internet and has the fastest growing mobile penetration with 22 million subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa.

The business coalition a alongside championing the fight against HIV/AIDS fosters access to global supply chain and markets, technology and intellectual property transfer, nurtures technical expertise across industries and sectors, and fortifying relationship with local business actors and national governments among others.

Vision 2030, executive director, Emmunuel Nzai said government recognizes that HIV/AIDS must be worn to enhance generational responsibility where youths play a very important role. Nzai said that the youth Fund is out to nurture entrepreneurship as a measure against the rising rate of unemployment that is standing at 64 percent.

He pointed out that the country's long term development blue print which has identified six key sectors to deliver a 10 percent economic growth per years – the vision embraces youths as a capital to be empowered for the 124 flagship projects going on.