Ceremony marks official opening of Alliance South Sudan office
19 August 2008
On 15 July 2008, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance marked the official opening of its office in South Sudan with a ceremony for Alliance partners, donors and staff.
At the ceremony, several of the Alliance’s implementing partners talked about the progress they have made with the support of the Alliance, and called for the Alliance to continue its support to local organisations to deliver services to communities.
Donato Ochan, director of Southern Sudan Older People’s Organisation, presented a thank-you note to the Alliance on behalf of the office’s implementing partners, saying, “The Alliance is the only organisation that was willing to raise us [the local organisations] from nothing into something!”
The sentiment was echoed by Lole Laila, chair of the Southern Sudan Network of people living with HIV. “The other agencies kept saying we have no experience whenever we approached them for help. If I can ask you: where do you buy capacity?” he said.
Lieutenant Colonel John Woja drew attention to the HIV challenges that the armed forces face in Sudan. “The peace enjoyed in South Sudan presently is by no means a simple achievement,” he said. “The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), the rebel outfit that delivered the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, is currently in the process of transforming into a professional army. The challenges faced by the army in terms of HIV and AIDS are massive and the number of infected soldiers is increasing. The SPLA appreciates the support that the Alliance has extended to it and looks forward to a close partnership in the future.”
The Alliance is currently working in two states and three counties in South Sudan to strengthen emerging civil society organisations to respond to HIV. It does this by providing grants alongside organisational and programmatic support. Partners include non-governmental/community-based organisations, groups of people living with HIV, and government agencies, such as the South Sudan AIDS Commission. The programme is supported by USAID.
The ceremony’s guest of honour, Dr Atem Nathan, Director General for Primary Health Care, cut the ribbon to open the office. He remarked that the Alliance had made an impressive contribution in a short time in South Sudan. He presented implementing partners with copies of the toolkit, Understanding and challenging HIV stigma. Guests were given a tour of the new premises and refreshments were served.
Also present at the ceremony were Florence Bayou, Acting Country Director; Lynette Lowndes, the Alliance’s Director of Field Programmes; Dr Margaret Ito, Chief of Party, John Snow, Inc; along with John Snow’s Vice-President and Country Director for Southern Sudan.
The new office is in Hai Malakal, Juba.
