The Challenges of Managing Social Support Projects for People Living with Hiv/Aids with Focus to the Aids Support Organisation (Taso) Mulago

ABSTRACT 

This study addresses the challenges of managing social support projects for peoplé living with HIV/AIDS with focus to The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) Mulago. The — social support projects include: Children’s education support, revolving fund for income generation activities (IGA), Apprenticeship programme and food Aid projects. The study was necessitated by the increasing challenges of managing the social Support projects for the people living with HIV/AIDS in TASO Mulago. TASO Strategic Plan for 2003-2007 confirmed that over 80% of TASO clients live in abject poverty, food insecurity and access to health and safe water are beyond their reach. The winding up of a food project called PL 480 Title II Project in September 2006 worsened the situation. The project served 1000 individual clients and 5000 total beneficiaries. Apprenticeship programme also wound up in 2004 and CELTEL also stopped sponsoring 50 children for formal education. These challenges compelled the researcher to conduct this study. The general objectives of the study were to assess the challenges of managing TASO Mulago Social Support Projects for people living with HIV/AIDS and suggest possible solutions to the challenges. The research specifically sought to study the criteria of implementing the social support projects, find out the challenges of managing the social support projects, establish the feelings of TASO Mulago clients towards the management of the social support services and suggest possible solutions to the challenges faced. The key research question was; How should the support services be implemented to satisfy the needs of the various stakeholders, without necessarily constraining the projects? The methods employed were both qualitative and quantitative, and research instrument included purposive sampling and quota sampling, written questionnaires, focus group discussions, library and media research were made. The data was finally collected and analyzed. According to the findings the clients were generally happy with the services, major challenges included the financial constraints, uncertainty of future funding, overwhelming number of clients to serve, inadequate human resource, difficulty of weaning off food beneficiaries, dependency syndrome, poor loan repayment and donor withdrawals. The major recommendations of the research were as follows: step up referrals sy~tem to reduce number, increase resource mobilization at the center level and encourage clients’ contribution towards the services, build capacity of the IGA beneficiaries and staff in Income Generation activity Management (IGA) and early sustainability programmes. Above all, it is vital that social support projects are incorporated into the TASO core programmes to ensure their sustainability.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Declaration

Approval

Dedication

Acknowledgement IV

Abstract V

Table of Contents vu

List of Tables

Ust of Figures XII

Definition of Key Terms Xi

Abbreviations and Acronyms xHi

CHAPER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem 2

1.3 Objectives of the Study 3

1.3.1 General Objectives 3

1.3.2 Specific Objectives 3

1.4 Specific Research Questions 3

1.5 Significance of the Study 4

1.6 Scope of the Study 4

1.7 Conceptual Framework S

1.8 Brief History of Mulago 7

1.9 Management Theories 9

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction 12

2.2 Over view of TASO Mulago Social Support Activities 12

2.2.1 Primary Section 13

2.2.2 Distribution Scholastic Material 13

2.2.3 TASO Strategy for Secondary /Tertiary 13

2.2.4 Apprenticeship 14

2.2.5 Income Generating Activities 14

2.2.6 Food Beneficiaries 14

2.3 The origin of HIV Management Programmes In Uganda 15

2.4 Overviews of Strategies and Implementation of HIV Management Programmes 16

2.5 Feelings of People Living with HIV/AIDS Towards Social Support Projects 21

2.6 The Challenges of HIV Management Programme for African People and Government, Non-Government Organizations Donors 23

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 39

3.2 Research Design 39

3.3 The Study Population 39

3.4 Sampling Techniques 40

3.5 Research Instrument 41

3.5.1 Questionnaire 41

3.5.2 Focus Group Discuss~ons.4~~POSTGRAD~ t~ LIBRAR

3.5.3 Interviews

3.5.4 Library and Media Research/Secondary Data 43

3.6 Data Collection Procedures 43

3.7 Data Analysis and Interpretation 43

3,8 Limitations of the Study 44

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINDS AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Mode of Implementation of TASO Activities 45

4.2.1 Selection Criteria of the Beneficiaries 45

4.2.2 Selection Criteria for Apprentices 45

4.2.3 Selection Criteria for Food Beneficiaries 47

4.2.4 Selection Criteria for Formal Education, Primary and Secondary 48

4.2.5 Replacement of Children 49

4.2.6 Selection of IGA Beneficiaries 50

4.2.7 Process of Implementation 51

4.3 Monitoring and Evaluation 52

4.4 Clients’ Feelings Towards the Social Support Services 53

4.5 Feelings of Beneficiaries Towards the Food Aid Project 53

4.6 Feelings of Children Supported with Formal Education 57

4.6.1 Apprenticeship Programme/Formal Education 59

4.8 The Challenges of Managing the Social Support Projects 64

4.8.1 General Challenges 65

4.8.2 Specific Challenges65

4.8.3 challenges of Managing Apprenticeship Programme and Formal Education 66

4.8.4 The challenges of Managing Food Aid 72

4.8.5 The Challenges of Managing Income Generating Activity 75

CHAPTER FIVE: GENERAL CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary 78

5.2 Conclusion

5.3.1 Intervention Strategy for Income Generation Activity Projects 80

References 87

Appendixes 91

Appendix 1 91

Appendix 2 92

Appendix 3