Introduction
HIV not only affects individual health but also places significant economic strain on households. Families impacted by HIV often face reduced income, increased healthcare costs, food insecurity, interrupted education for children, and long-term vulnerability to poverty. In many settings, stigma and discrimination further limit employment opportunities and access to financial services.
Global strategies led by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization emphasize that comprehensive HIV responses must integrate social protection and economic empowerment. Evidence shows that income support, social safety nets, and livelihood strengthening significantly improve treatment adherence, reduce vulnerability, and enhance overall household resilience.
The Social Protection and Income Support for HIV-Affected Households Initiative aims to reduce economic vulnerability, strengthen household stability, and improve health and social outcomes through integrated financial and social support mechanisms.
Background and Rationale
HIV-affected households frequently encounter:
- Loss of income due to illness or caregiving responsibilities
- Increased healthcare and transportation expenses
- Food insecurity and malnutrition
- School dropouts among children
- Debt accumulation and asset depletion
- Social exclusion and stigma
Women, children, and elderly caregivers are particularly vulnerable. In many low-income contexts, formal social protection systems are weak, fragmented, or inaccessible to marginalized populations.
Research demonstrates that social protection interventions such as cash transfers, livelihood grants, savings groups, and food support:
- Improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy
- Reduce risky coping strategies
- Increase school attendance
- Enhance mental well-being
- Promote long-term economic self-reliance
Integrating economic support with HIV programming creates a holistic approach that addresses both medical and socio-economic determinants of health.
Goal
To strengthen economic resilience and social stability among HIV-affected households through integrated social protection and income support interventions.
Objectives
- Provide targeted income support to 5,000 HIV-affected households over three years.
- Improve food security levels among participating households by at least 40%.
- Support 3,000 beneficiaries in developing sustainable income-generating activities.
- Increase school retention among children in beneficiary households by 30%.
- Strengthen linkages between HIV services and national social protection systems.
Target Beneficiaries
- People living with HIV
- Women-headed households
- Orphans and vulnerable children
- Elderly caregivers
- Low-income families affected by HIV
- Estimated direct beneficiaries: 25,000 individuals (5,000 households)
Indirect beneficiaries: 75,000 community members
Key Activities (Components)
- Component 1: Direct Income Support
- Conditional or unconditional cash transfers
- Emergency financial assistance
- School support stipends for children
- Healthcare transportation subsidies
- Component 2: Food Security and Nutrition Support
- Component 3: Livelihood Development
- Start-up grants for small businesses
- Vocational and entrepreneurship training
- Formation of savings and loan groups
- Access to microfinance institutions
- Business mentorship and coaching
- Component 4: Social Protection System Strengthening
- Component 5: Psychosocial and Community Support
- Support groups for affected households
- Financial literacy training
- Stigma reduction community dialogues
- Case management services
Timeline (36 Months)
- Phase 1 (Months 1–6):
Needs assessment, beneficiary identification, partnership agreements, baseline survey. - Phase 2 (Months 7–18):
Cash transfers rollout, food security programs, livelihood training initiation. - Phase 3 (Months 19–30):
Business support expansion, savings group strengthening, mid-term evaluation. - Phase 4 (Months 31–36):
Graduation planning, system integration, final evaluation and sustainability strategy.
Expected Outcomes
- Increased household income stability
- Improved food security and nutrition outcomes
- Higher school attendance rates among children
- Reduced economic vulnerability
- Improved adherence to HIV treatment
- Strengthened linkages to formal social protection systems
Monitoring & Evaluation
Monitoring tools will include:
- Household income tracking surveys
- Food security assessments
- School attendance records
- Business performance monitoring
- Beneficiary feedback mechanisms
- Baseline and endline impact evaluations
- Data will be disaggregated by gender, age, and vulnerability status to ensure equity.
Sustainability
Sustainability strategies include:
- Graduation model transitioning households to self-reliance
- Strengthened community savings groups
- Integration with national social protection systems
- Capacity building for local partners
- Development of cooperative enterprises
- Policy engagement for long-term inclusion of HIV-affected households in public welfare schemes
By building economic resilience and reducing dependency, the initiative will create lasting improvements in household stability and well-being.
Budget
- The estimated total budget for the three-year project is approximately USD 4 million.
- Around 45% of the budget will be allocated to direct income support and cash transfer programming.
- Food security and nutrition interventions will account for approximately 15% of the total budget.
- Livelihood development and entrepreneurship support will require around 20%.
- Social protection system strengthening and policy engagement will represent 7%.
- Psychosocial support and community engagement activities will account for 5%.
- Monitoring and evaluation activities will require approximately 4%.
- Project management and coordination will represent 3%.
- Administrative and compliance costs will account for 1%.
Conclusion
Addressing HIV effectively requires more than medical treatment—it demands economic and social resilience. By combining direct income support, livelihood development, and strengthened social protection systems, this initiative empowers HIV-affected households to break cycles of poverty and vulnerability. Investing in social protection not only improves individual well-being but also strengthens community resilience and advances broader public health and development goals.
