Awards for innovative HIV and AIDS programmes launched

The Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and Prevention Project (GHARP) has introduced a scheme to award agencies and individuals that have identified and promoted new examples of best practices in fighting HIV and AIDS.

GHARP will present the awards at a public event slated for March 9 and the summaries of the programmes of the winners and those commended are expected to be profiled in publications and media announcements. Director of Technical Services Dr Jomo Osborne said the awards scheme is a United States Agency for International Development/ GHARP/Private Sector Advisory Board initiative. Osborne said entries from businesses, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other entities that have demonstrated their commitment to combating the virus in their work places and communities are welcome.

Six awards will be presented under the following categories: excellence in the workplace, excellence in the community, excellence for innovation, excellence using core competency, individual leadership on HIV/AIDS and individual care provider on HIV/AIDS.

Applications from organisations for all sectors, geographical regions and workforce sizes should be submitted for programmes and initiatives that are currently being implemented.

These should include monitoring and evaluation components and reporting on outcomes. Organisations and individuals can be nominated by an NGO, public or private sector partner or can nominate themselves. In the case of individual entries, the entry must be made by the entity.

Successful entries must include the motivation for initiating their programme, when it was initiated and the history of its progress, how it is managed within the overall structure of the company, what methods are used to monitor and evaluate the programme/initiative and what the results have been. The entries must include the stated information, and must be supported by the relevant documents and materials.

Entries can be submitted electronically. Photographic evidence of the programme in action is also welcome. Entries should be submitted to Derrick Cummings, Private Sector Partnership Manager, USAID/GHARP, 44 High Street, Georgetown.

While individual winners may receive a small monetary prize, other winners will receive plaques.