HIV

Here is a small selection of organizations, websites, and printed materials for helping children and families affected by HIV. Most countries also have national and local HIV organizations that can provide helpful information. is missing

Aidsmap
Produces and distributes clear, accurate, useful information about HIV and AIDS in more than 20 languages.

APCA - African Palliative Care Assoc.
A pan-African organization working to reduce pain and suffering across Africa by advocating for access to palliative care medicines and practices at all levels.

Avert
Global information and education on HIV and AIDS.

Children’s HIV Association
Children’s HIV Association supports the health and well-being of children and families with HIV by providing information and reducing isolation. Resources include videos and a website designed by and for children with HIV.

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance
The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance is a broad ecumenical network for international cooperation in advocacy on global trade and HIV and AIDS.

Provides information on their website and print materials to support and strengthen community-based HIV programs around the world Footsteps
100 online issues of Footsteps, Tearfund’s practical newsletter with topics including HIV, caring for orphans, hygiene, sexual and gender-based violence, land rights, and others.

Frontline AIDS
Provides information on their website and print materials to support and strengthen community-based HIV programs around the world.

Global Strategies for HIV Prevention
They work to implement international strategies to prevent HIV infection and care for those affected by HIV by means of strategic alliances with those who share in a compassion for alleviating the suffering of women and children.

Health and Development Networks
Health & Development Networks (HDN) is a leading facilitator of information, dialogue and advocacy approaches on HIV and TB.

Health Books International (formerly Teaching Aids at Low Cost, TALC)
Distributes books, CDs, DVDs, downloads, teaching materials, and accessories to improve health in developing countries.

HIV InSite
HIV InSite's mission is to be a source for comprehensive, in-depth HIV/AIDS information and knowledge.

International AIDS Women’s Caucus (IAWC)
An international network of organizations and women affected and infected by HIV and AIDS that advocates at the international and regional level about the impact of the HIV pandemic on women and girls. IAWC works to fight against gender inequalities, which have fueled the pandemic.

International HIV/AIDS Alliance
Works to reduce the impact and spread of HIV and provides technical and organizational support for community-based groups focused on women, children, and youth. Building Blocks and other resources are available in multiple languages.

JAWS HIV/AIDS readers for children
A collection of easy-to-read, illustrated books to read to younger children, published by Pearson UK.

NAM
Produces and distributes clear, accurate, useful information about HIV and AIDS in more than 20 languages.

PATA - Pediatric Adolescent Treatment Africa (formerly Pediatric AIDS Treatment Africa)
Promotes collaborative learning and knowledge sharing among health providers caring for children and adolescents with HIV in 24 countries. They produce and distribute a variety of resources.

Partners in Health (PIH)
PIH's work as a nonprofit focusing on delivery of quality health care in poor communities benefits from longstanding ties to Harvard Medical School and one of its teaching hospitals, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as well as a more recent affiliation with the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Plan International
Promotes children’s rights and equality for girls worldwide. Local programs often focus on meeting the needs of children with disabilities.

Project Concern
Project Concern International is a non-profit health and humanitarian aid organization dedicated to preventing disease, improving community health, and promoting sustainable development.

PROMETRA
PROMETRA is an international organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of African traditional medicine and indigenous science.

REPSSI - Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative for Children Affected by AIDS
Trains people and organizations in 13 Eastern and Southern African countries to understand and support the psychosocial needs of orphaned and vulnerable children. They develop materials, convene workshops and regional meetings, and have special programs for teachers and community members.

Stepping Stones with Children and The Salamander Trust
A community program to help different genders and generations better communicate and advocate on sensitive issues, communicate honestly about HIV, and build mutual trust and support.

Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS)
SAfAIDS' core activities include capacity development for other HIV and AIDS Intermediary Organisations (IOs), information production, collection and dissemination, networking and building partnerships and leadership in promoting dialogue on cutting- edge issues related to HIV and AIDS.

Healthlink Worldwide
Steps to Making Sex Safer: Starting the discussion; A guide for community-based volunteers
An easy-to-read, illustrated activity manual useful for new and experienced trainers.

Strategies for Hope: Resources for community-based HIV prevention, care and support
Produces a wide range of accessible, practical, action-oriented manuals, books and films to support communities addressing the challenges of HIV. Easily adapted to meet local needs. Strategies for Hope Trust
Email: [email protected]
Also available from TALC (Teaching-aids at Low Cost)

The Body
They work to use the Web to lower barriers between patients and clinicians, demystify HIV/AIDS and its treatment, improve patients' quality of life, and foster community through human connection.

The Coalition on children affected by AIDS
The Coalition on Children Affected by AIDS is a collective of private and public foundations and re-granting organizations in the North and South.

TAC - Treatment Action Campaign
Founded to fight for access to HIV treatment, TAC forced the South African government to provide prevention medicines to mothers, and then universal HIV treatment. TAC represents users of the public healthcare system to get better care and better access to care. They publish HIV in Our Lives and other health information for people with HIV on how to stay healthy, pregnancy, ARVs, TB, social support, and more.

Women, Children and HIV
Resources for the prevention and treatment of HIV infection in women and children for health workers in resource-poor settings.

World Vision
A Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustices.

The World Health Organization
The World Health Organization, includes treatment and prevention guidelines, and HIV news articles and stories.

PRINT AND ONLINE BOOKS

GENERAL MANUALS FOR HOME-BASED CARE FOR HIV

Community Home-Based Care for People and Communities Affected by HIV & AIDS: A Handbook for Community Health Workers, by Pathfinder International (2006).
Comprehensive guide to home-based care for HIV and AIDS.
https://tinyurl.com/ych24dhx

Palliative Care Toolkit: Improving care from the roots up in resource-limited settings, by Charlie Bond, Vicky Lavy, and Ruth Wooldridge, Help the Hospices (2008).
How to care holistically for people with incurable or difficult to treat health problems, to relieve suffering, and improve quality of life.
https://tinyurl.com/ybbkao4h

A Future Planning Notebook for Families and Communities, by SAfAIDS and John Snow International.
Support for accepting your HIV status and talking with families about planning care for children, making a will, and how to get important documents.
https://tinyurl.com/ybb7v7r3 **problem with link

COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION FOR CHILDREN’S NEEDS

Journey of Life Workshops, by REPSSI and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Activities to stimulate community reflection, dialogue, and action.
https://tinyurl.com/y87hlx66
www.repssi.org

Psychosocial Support Source Book for Vulnerable Children in Malawi.
Useful participtory activities and community strategies to support children.
https://tinyurl.com/yc6y7pb3

Supporting Young Carers: Programme Guidelines for Households in which Young People are Caring for Other Household Members.
Activities and information developed by REPPSI and aimed at supporting young caregivers, including: carers’ wellbeing, livelihood strengthening, support groups, treatment literacy, future planning, and grief and loss.
www.repssi.org

CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT CHILDREN NEED AT DIFFERENT STAGES

See the books: Disabled Village Children, Helping Children Who Are Blind, and Helping Children Who Are Deaf, information on the last page of this book, or www.hesperian.org

Care for Child Development, Participant Manual, by WHO and UNICEF.
Information on what babies and children need at different ages, and what caregivers can do to help them develop well.
tinyurl.com/y9lgb7dk

We Care for Young Children: Helping adolescent caregivers look after young children.
This 50-page manual was developed with the help of adolescent caregivers in several African countries.
tinyurl.com/yyosw5cr

KEEPING CHILDREN HEALTHY: NUTRITION AND BREASTFEEDING, SAFE WATER, CLEANLINESS, AND MORE

See Hesperian’s A Community Guide to Environmental Health.

UNICEF and Global Health Media produced a helpful series of videos for health workers and caregivers on what to feed young children.
tinyurl.com/ycxlvhvh

Videos by Global Health Media, in multiple languages, on caring for small babies and young children, healthy births, breastfeeding, preventing and treating infections, and responding to danger signs.
www.globalhealthmedia.org

PREVENTION OF HIV IN MOTHERS AND CHILDREN (PMTCT)

The PMTCT Toolkit by ICAP, the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs, is designed to train and support nurses, midwives, counselors, peer educators, and other community health workers to help women and families engage with HIV prevention and treatment services.
tinyurl.com/ycfwnf4s

COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN AND GIVING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

Building Resiliency Among Children Affected by HIV/AIDS, by Silke Mallmann (Maskew Miller Longman and Catholic AIDS Action, 2002-03).
This guide provides practical activities to help caregivers and teachers support orphans and children who are nursing an ill parent or grieving.
tinyurl.com/yckjzqoa **problem with link

Say and Play: A tool for young children and those who care about them, by Jonathan Brakarsh with Project Concern International. Very accessible book of activities that help children express themselves naturally and help adults understand children.
tinyurl.com/y2q5vnfr

Guidelines for Counselling Children who are Infected with HIV or Affected by HIV and AIDS, by SAT, Southern African Training Programme (2003). Designed for anyone counseling children about sensitive subjects, such as illness, sex, or death.
tinyurl.com/yachmb7z **problem with link

The Suitcase Stories: Refugee children reclaim their identities, by Glynis Clacherty, the Suitcase Storytellers, and Diane Welvering, Double Storey Publishers (2008).

and

The world in a suitcase: Psychosocial support using artwork with refugee children in South Africa, by Glynis Clacherty, explains more about the art project discussed in "Using media, arts, and events in the community".
tinyurl.com/ybghaxxb

Psychosocial Support Source Book for Vulnerable Children in Malawi, by Stop AIDS Now! A book of strategies and activities to engage with children, families, and communities to support children made vulnerable by HIV. tinyurl.com/yc6y7pb3

DISCLOSURE

Pediatric Starter Kit: Having the conversation with your seriously ill child, by the Conversation Project and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Stories from parents and others, and examples of what to say.
tinyurl.com/y9wq83ul

Let’s Talk Disclosure: Your disclosure support guide for tackling tough topics together, by Oxfam and SAfAIDS (2015).
tinyurl.com/y8lagbkb **problem with link

It’s Good2Talk: Sharing your diagnosis with your children, by the UK Family Project. Helps parents and caregivers be better able to talk about having HIV with their children.
tinyurl.com/y7omj9lr

The Power of Knowing – Experiences of Youth and Caregivers with Pediatric HIV Disclosure, a 20-minute video sharing the challenges and benefits of talking to your child about his or her HIV status, or of learning you have HIV as a child.
www.vimeo.com/88422878

ART MEDICINES FOR CHILDREN

My Living Positively Handbook, by Children’s Rights Centre (2006). A book about HIV made by children and for children to promote their active participation in HIV care and treatment.
tinyurl.com/yccsqsxn **problem with link

How to Make a Tracing Book, by REPSSI and CATIE, shows how to use drawings to keep a health diary, which can also be used to discuss HIV and medicines with children.
tinyurl.com/y966j4f6 **problem with link

HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN WITH HIV

See Hesperian’s online chapter on Caring for Children

Children’s Palliative Care in Africa, ed. by Dr. Justin Amery. A comprehensive, practical, and sensitively written manual for health workers in Africa, to support children and families dealing with illness and physical and emotional pain.
tinyurl.com/ydeszhu9

The Healthy Child Handbook, A Guide to Childhood Wellness in Developing Countries, by Cassady Thomas and Lauren Hughey, World’s Children (2011). Health manual designed for childcare workers that covers prevention, first aid, and how to care for common and serious illnesses. Available to download and as a free e-book.
https://tinyurl.com/y72hc4g7

Handbook on Paediatric AIDS in Africa, by the African Network for the Care of Children Affected by AIDS, ANECCA (4th Ed., 2017). A comprehensive manual for health workers in clinical settings, informative and less technical than many medical texts.
tinyurl.com/y7uwn3fj

PAIN IN CHILDREN

Beating Pain, by the African Palliative Care Association. A guide for health workers (especially in Africa) to improve pain management, focusing on children’s needs.
tinyurl.com/ydyp6dof

CHILD PROTECTION AND ABUSE

Positive Disciplines, by Plan, Vietnam. A training manual to help parents and teachers understand the capabilities of young children and how harsh punishment harms development. Includes information on stress and anger management.
tinyurl.com/ybeels45

A MenCare Fathers’ Group Manual for Sri Lanka, by World Vision and Promundo (2012). Information and group education activities to promote gender equality in the home and family well-being through examining root causes of gender inequality, harsh punishment of children, and alcohol abuse.
tinyurl.com/y9holuk8

Singing to the Lions: A facilitator’s guide to overcoming fear and violence in our lives, by Jonathan Brakarsh with Lucy Steinitz. Activities designed for older children on self care and how social support and understanding can help children cope with and recover from violence.
tinyurl.com/ya3r6pvr

CARE FOR CAREGIVERS

For information and ideas on how to start a support group:
tinyurl.com/yac7d4or

Train the Trainer Manual: A guide to setting up a Care for Carers Program, by AIDS Response (2011). Includes many useful self-care exercises, and tools for setting up care for caregivers programs.
tinyurl.com/y727hb3z **problem with link

MORE RESOURCES

Please visit the Hesperian Health Guides website for even more resources than we could fit in this section. tinyurl.com/y6z9g286