1. JOIN ROTARIANS FOR FIGHTING AIDS

[ you can join Rotarians For Fighting Aids (RFFA) ]

For $20 per year or $l00 for a lifetime membership you can join this action committee approved by Rotary International in October of 2003. The mission of RFFA is as follows:

  •mobilize Rotarians and provide global leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS
•focus Rotarians on assisting community support efforts for orphans and vulnerable children
•create a structure which encourages Rotarians around the globe to work on HIV/AIDS education and prevention
•align the global Rotary community with best practices community childcare programs that work through collaboration with Hope worldwide
•break the silence and reduce the stigma surrounding AIDS

Join RFFA online, or fill out an application and send a check or credit card details to Rotarian Barry Smith, Executive Secretary, RFFA, Inc. P.O. Box 888575, Atlanta, GA 30356-8575

Current Membership: 657 from 23 countries. 2005 New Member Goal: ?

2. LEARN ABOUT THE “ORPHAN RESCUE PROGRAM”

 •The Orphan Rescue program provides essential services directly to orphans and their caregivers, so that children can remain in community settings. This program supports children in underserved communities in Nairobi, Kenya; Lagos, Nigeria; and several sites in South Africa. Plans are underway to expand efforts to the Ivory Coast, Zambia, Botswana and other African countries. RFA, HOPEworldwide, community workers and Rotarians in Africa are best practice partners in this program which was launched in June 2005.
•Organize support in your club, district and zone.
•To learn more about how you can help CLICK HERE

3. PARTNER WITH LOCAL ROTARY CLUBS IN AIDS DEVASTATED AREAS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND ASK WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE THEY NEED

[ learn about available projects ]

Rotarians for Fighting AIDS will soon have a clearinghouse of projects. The Los Altos Project currently has one http://www.rotaryaidsproject.org. Look at those websites for updates. Check out the Rotary International Website for AIDS projects news (add link to RI website) and read your monthly magazine to link with other projects. Use your local resources and network. Many cities have multiply organizations supporting global AIDS projects. Find out what is already out there.

4. LEARN ABOUT ‘ANCHOR’, THE AFRICAN NETWORK FOR CHILDREN ORPHANED AND AT RISK AND TELL OTHERS.

This partnership brings together Rotarians for Fighting AIDS, Hope worldwide, Coca Cola/Africa, and the Emory University School of Public Health in a unique collaboration that will bring prevention and education services to children in six African nations, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, and South Africa through a $8.1 million grant from USAID, funded by the President’s Initiative on AIDS in Africa.

5. EDUCATE YOUR CLUB

[ Tell your club about RFFA ]

AIDS can be an overwhelming topic. Break it down into monthly club briefings given by different club members on several possible subjects: woman and AIDS, vaccines, orphans, Africa, basic statistics, local organizations, Rotary’s global efforts through ANCHOR or other projects and Rotarians for Fighting AIDS,

Bring in someone from your own community who can speak authoritatively about AIDS.

Utilize materials from other Rotary Clubs such as the video from the Los Altos Project or the HIV/AIDS International Resources for Action booklet from the Rotary Club of Cincinnati

6. WRITE TO YOUR DISTRICT GOVERNOR AND ZONE DIRECTOR

Find out what is going on in your part of the world and let them know how important it is to do something about global HIV/AIDS.

7. LET RFFA KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING SO THE NETWORK OF SUPPORT CAN SPREAD

[ Add an announcement and talk about your projects in our forums ]