US NPO fills Aids fund gap

BOARD MEMBER: 'WE ARE HERE TO STAY'

- Masoka Dube

The United States-based Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has vowed to work around the clock to ensure the well-being of HIV patients left in limbo after the US government withdrew financial support for programmes to fight HIV/Aids in Africa.

After returning to power this year, President Donald Trump cut off the financial support that the federal government was giving to the HIV/Aids projects in Africa.

The withdrawal of funding has already begun to negatively affect many nonprofit organisations in South Africa, with some shutting down.

Speaking outside Tshepisong Clinic in Soweto, AHF board member Condessa Curley said her organisation would continue to empower HIV patients throughout South Africa.

Curley, who is in SA to check on AHF's HIV/Aids projects, said: "Even though money has been withdrawn by the federal government, which we are not a part of, we are a nonprofit organisation.

"We collaborate with all partners because even though we are a large organisation and we have a presence all over the world, we cannot do this alone."