1. What is RFFA, Rotarians For Fighting AIDS?
2. Why was RFFA established?
3. What is ANCHOR?
4. What is ANCHOR's purpose?
5. What is Orphan Rescue?
6. Who can support Orphan Rescue?
7. What are the relationships among RFFA, ANCHOR and Orphan Rescue?
8. Who can join RFFA?
9. What are the benefits of joining RFFA?
10. What is a Rotarian Fellowship or Action Group?
11. Why should I care about HIV/AIDS in Africa?
12. Is there hope that the work of RFFA, ANCHOR and Orphan Rescue
will make a difference?
13. Will RFFA announce other programs in the future?
14. What can I do to help?
WHAT IS RFFA, ROTARIANS FOR FIGHTING AIDS? Rotarians for Fighting AIDS, RFFA, formerly known as the Rotarian Fellowship for Fighting AIDS, is an action group of like minded Rotarians throughout the world who have organized across borders to provide leadership in fighting AIDS RFFA was founded as a Rotary Fellowship in October 2003 and turned into an Action Committee in June of 2005 because of its activist mission. RFFA was founded by Rotarian Marion Bunch, Rotary Club of Dunwoody, D6900. RFFA is a non-profit Georgia corporation, governed by a group of Rotarians.
WHY WAS RFFA ESTABLISHED? RFFA grew out of Marion Bunch’s work on AIDS requested by Past RI Presidents Bhichai Rattakul and Jonathan Majiyagbe and their combined desire to do something to help orphans and vulnerable children in Africa. RFFA was specifically founded to provide Rotarian leadership, an organizational structure and a Rotary entity/name to use in putting together the ANCHOR partnership (African Network for Children
and Orphans at Risk)
WHAT IS ANCHOR? ANCHOR is the acronym for the African Network for Children and Orphans at Risk, This new program was awarded an $8.1 million grant in March of 2005 from USAID, the United States Agency for International Development which administers the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). ANCHOR is a coalition of RFFA, HOPE worldwide/Africa, Coca Cola Company/Africa, Emory University’s School of Nursing, and the International AIDS Trust.
WHAT IS ANCHOR’S PURPOSE? ANCHOR uses the highly respected best practices community childcare model of partner HOPE worldwide to support community assistance programs for at risk children. RFFA, utilizing Rotarians on the ground in Africa, and HOPE worldwide’s years of effective service to the world’s afflicted, provide an array of services to selected African communities such as food, clothing, school supplies for children, basic business skills for small businesses, counseling and life skills, and equipment for community centers
RFFA and HOPE worldwide are supported in these efforts by the Emory School of Public Health which will monitor project progress and evaluate its impact. Coca Cola/Africa is providing seed funding to ANCHOR, along with media and logistical support; and the International AIDS Trust assisted in obtaining the USAID funds.
WHAT IS ORPHAN RESCUE? Orphan Rescue, inaugurated at the RI Centennial Convention in June of 2005, is the second project launched by RFFA to encourage Rotarians and non-Rotarians from the developed nations to support at risk children in three areas of Africa. This initiative grew out of the work being done by the ANCHOR partnership and the need voiced by Rotarians from America to play an additional role in supporting children in need and at risk in Africa. Donations are used for supplying nutritional support, school fees, uniforms, and supplies to orphans and vulnerable children at sites where RFFA and HOPE worldwide are working together at ANCHOR sites in Africa. A $450 donation per year will support the needs of one child. The funds are monitored throughout the process by Rotarians, both in the United States and in Africa.
WHO CAN SUPPORT ORPHAN RESCUE? Any Rotarian or non-Rotarian, individual or club, district or zone, anywhere in the world willing to support a child for one year for $450 can take action through ORPHAN RESCUE.
WHAT ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG RFFA, ANCHOR AND ORPHAN RESCUE? RFFA was founded and approved by the Rotary International Board to involve Rotarians around the world in fighting the AIDS pandemic. It is a non profit corporation in the State of Georgia, USA. As an organization, RFFA launched two key projects in its first year of existence: ANCHOR (a project partnership, see above); and Orphan Rescue (a orphan donation program, see above). Both of these projects involve Rotarians, Rotary clubs and districts, as well as outside partner organizations.
WHO CAN JOIN RFFA? Any Rotarian in good standing and his/her spouse, Roteracters and Interacters, anywhere in the world can join the RFFA. Join by clicking on this site or sending in a check for $20 for one year’s membership or $l00 for a lifetime membership to Barry Smith, Executive Secretary, RFFA, Inc. P.O. Box 888575, Atlanta, GA 30356-8575.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOINING RFFA? Each member receives a RFFA pin and member card with welcoming letter. Access to the latest news and program developments comes from the RFFA website (www.rffa.org) which will be updated regularly. Satisfaction comes from helping children in the most desperate of circumstances through RFFA programs. Membership is another way of educating ourselves and our fellow Rotarians about HIV/AIDS. It provides members with an active voice through representation at RI conventions and many zone institutes and district conferences throughout the Rotary world. It allows us to destigmatize the topic of AIDS by actively discussing it. It demonstrates to RI that this topic and the action programs it supports has wide support.
WHAT IS A ROTARIAN FELLOWSHIP OR ACTION GROUP? Rotary International encourages Rotarians from around the world to organize for recreational and vocational purposes. There are scores of “Rotarian Fellowships” for everything from ham radio operators to sailing enthusiasts. At the RI Centennial Convention in Chicago, the RI Board announced an added category called Rotarian Action Groups, for those groups with a service focus. RFFA determined it would be a Rotarian Action Group by the very nature of their work and service to the world. Both Rotary Fellowships and Rotarian Action Groups will exist under a new RI category called “Global Networking Groups.” RFFA is RI Board-Approved and operates in accordance with RI policy, but is not an agency of, or controlled by RI.
WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT HIV/AIDS IN AFRICA? AIDS destabilizes governments, destroys communities, cuts off youth in its prime, creates millions of orphans and shows no regard for age, race, profession, or nationality. AIDS is the daily tsunami of Africa. Money is not enough by itself. Capacity building at the community level is critical to leveling the destructive effects of this disease. Every person who dies alone, without hope, without care or caring is an affront to our ability to define ourselves as human.
You should care because caring crosses boundaries and putting caring into action is what Rotarians do best in every corner of the world. With infection rates of over 50% in many countries in Africa, clearly this is the continent most affected by the AIDS pandemic. The continent of India, China and Russia are next in terms of creating significant AIDS victims in the next two years. Since India and China together are 37% of the world’s population, it is feared that their numbers will ultimately exceed even the numbers of AIDS cases now in Africa.
IS THERE HOPE THAT THE WORK OF RFFA, ANCHOR AND ORPHAN RESCUE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE? It already has made a difference and will be even more effective as more Rotarians join this effort to alleviate the great suffering this disease has caused. Rotarians made a difference in obliterating polio in the third world countries by partnering with other organizations and doing what they do best: mobilizing communities around the world into action.
WILL RFFA ANNOUNCE OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE? Yes, at some point in the future there will be other announcements about program expansion to additional countries. The goal is to effectively replicate the successful model provided by the ANCHOR coalition. At present, RFFA has grown so rapidly that it is currently fully engaged in the ANCHOR and ORPHAN RESCUE programs already announced. ANCHOR’s grant is for five years in six African countries.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? Join RFFA and learn how to get involved in the battle against the AIDS pandemic, the "worst disease humankind has ever faced", according to the World Health Organization. See RFFA's "Guide to Action".
