Tilla-About Us

PHOTOS

About Tilla

1.CSO name: Tilla Association of HIV Positive Women
2. Legal status: legally re-registered as Ethiopian Residents charity on November 3, 2009.
3. It was started in 2003 by five HIV positive women who were prepared to declare their status to the public in order to make people more aware of HIV and AIDS and reduce the stigma associated with being infected with the virus.
4. Location (target areas): Tilla operates in 4 zones & 3 special woredas in Southern parts of Ethiopia.

Tilla works mainly in Awassa City, Alaba special Woreda, Sidama, Wolayta, Gedio, and Kembata-Timbaro Zones of the Southern Region (SNNPR).
It has two branch offices within the region

5. Governance: The accountable body of Tilla Association of HIV Positive Women is the General Assembly of all Tilla members, which meets at least every six months. The Board of Directors is accountable to the General Assembly and meets at least every three months. Currently there are seven Directors from local NGOs, Positive People Association, private businesses, and the Regional Bureaus.

6. Tilla targets

Women living with HIV

Young people in school and out of school

Housewives and house servants

Commercial sex workers

Orphans & Vulnerable Children & Youths (OVC, OVY)

Community members working with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) such as Iddirs and religious institutions. religious leaders, influential community leaders

The Offices of Tilla

7.Vision, mission, values & objectives statement

Vision :

Tilla wants to see a society empowered socially, economically, self reliant & living free of HIV and AIDS.

Mission :

Tilla is an association of HIV positive women working in partnership with local, regional and international community which aims to reduce and mitigate the impacts of HIV and AIDS especially on HIV positive women & their families through its promotion of prevention, care & support, training & capacity building focusing on the larger community, women, OVCs, and high risk groups leading to sustainable development initiatives.

Values:

Non-discriminatory
Respect & dignity
Fairness
Transparency
Accountability
Participation
Honesty
Confidentiality
Responsibility

Tilla’s objectives :

Prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through IEC/BCC
Reduce the vulnerability of women & other high risk groups to HIV/AIDS
Significantly contribute to the eradication of stigma & discrimination towards PLWHAs.
Stretch care & support services to Orphans & Vulnerable Children, Youths (OVCs, OVYs) affected by HIV/AIDS
Share its experience and expertise to help establish similar organizations by becoming a centre of excellence.

Major intervention areas

Prevention towards HIV infection/transmit ion. This includes:
I.Providing HIV positive individuals with information about ways PLHIVs can protect their own health by adoption of health living and reduction in risk behaviors

II. Create awareness within the community about HIV/AIDS through members testimonial provision
III. Encourage & provide pre and post-test and ongoing counseling to prevent especially further transmit ion from PLWHA
IV. Promoting & providing condoms to sexually active HIV-positive individuals, Commercial Sex Workers & their clients.
V. Providing all HIV-positive women & young people with support to prevent mother-to-child transmission & increase adherence to it.
VI. Prevention of infection among high risk groups like girls & women who are involved in Commercial Sex Work together with their clients.
VII. Promote decreased sexual activities among youth through the provision of skills based knowledge and capacity for youth
VIII. Scale up & expand community focused programs.
Care and support:
towards improving the quality of life of PLHIVs and their families. This includes:
I.Psychological support
Initial & follow up counseling services to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and their families & to assist in the disclosure
Psychosocial support through support group (post-test clubs) and other peers
Volunteer or outreach approaches within the community

II. Socio-economic support.
This includes material & social support needed to ensure that nutritional and daily living needs are met.
Establishing & supporting Income Generating Activities (IGA)
Provision of food support
Planning & support for orphans & vulnerable children in households & communities.

III. Clinical support under Home Based Care & palliative care
Clinical Care, ART &TB

The founders of Tilla

TILLA ASSOCIATION OF HIV POSTIVE WOMEN