Lifeline Counselling Services yesterday celebrated its twelfth anniversary and was lauded as one of the most dedicated non-governmental organisations providing services to those infected and affected by the disease.

Chief of Party of the Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and Prevention (GHARP) Project, Kwame Asiedu, yesterday said that the organisation takes pride in delivering services and needs the support of all Guyanese to continue its good work. He said GHARP provides funding for a number of NGOs in Guyana, Lifeline being one, and he has seen the quality of the services it provides, which needs to be commended. He also pledged his organisation’s continued support of the NGO’s work.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the NGO, Carlotta Williams, reported that in the last 12 years the organisation has increased its staff from 11 to 27 and has scaled up its services with the support of its main donor, the US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and that funding is provided through GHARP. Lifeline provides care for some 300 orphans and vulnerable children and community home and palliative care services to 180 persons living with HIV. Williams said that in the last project year the organisation surpassed its voluntary counselling and testing target by 294%. The NGO also offers voluntary testing and counselling services from 5 pm to 8 pm every Thursday and should demand increase the time will be expanded.

The organisation has other important partners such as Digicel, which donated $1.1  million last year and according to Williams over the last 11 months the partnership has grown and the company is now one of the organisation’s corporate sponsors.

“We provide a lifeline to people in Guyana who are faced with despair in a personal and professional way to give them hope and to keep families and children to together,” Williams said.

Digicel representative at the event, Jacqueline James, in brief remarks said her company recognises the importance of the HIV fight and supports the work of Lifeline as the organisation has made significant strides in the HIV battle. She noted that the organisation has helped many families at a time when no one else was willing to do so.

The organisation’s lighted sign, done in collaboration with Digicel, was also unveiled while a 12th birthday cake was cut.

And Lifeline will hold its annual Phillip Vanderhyden walk-a-thon this Sunday in memory of one of its co-founders. The walk will be held under the theme, ‘Stop Aids. Keep the Promise – Leadership’, and will commence at 6 am from the Bank of Guyana building and end at the Cliff Anderson Sport Hall on Homestretch Avenue.