APN+’s Positive Capacity Development Initiative has come to its seventh year implementation since it started as HIV Consortium project supported by AusAID in 2009. At the beginning the initiative was developed to build the capacity of its country network members. And as it demonstrate a huge benefit towards network’s capacity, the initiative then continued as one of organization’s way of transforming its strategic direction into action, particularly in addressing the need of institutional capacity development for country’s PLHIV network.
On January 2014 Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) conveyed an Independent Program Review as an evaluation process of the Regional Capacity Building Program, where this initiative is part. The review was commissioned by DFAT towards Regional Capacity Building Program end date on 30th of June 2014. As the report of the review was completed on early May and recommended the need of the whole program to be redesign in the future in order to meet desired program impact. However the report highlighted how APN+ as the only non-Australian funded organization has managed to demonstrate the development of CSO with increased programmatic and management capacity. The report also stated that APN+ approach with Positive Capacity Development Initiative is cost effective and considered as a significant modality for regional HIV response in the future.
While DFAT is in the process of renewing its program design, they decided to provide its support as the interim funding period until June 2015. And under that direction APN+ continues its program implementation which covers 7 country’s network program in Cambodia, China, Fiji, Laos, Myanmar, Timor Leste and Vietnam as well as an initiative for the PLHIV in Pacific islands through out the establishment of Positive Pacific Working Group (PPWG). While at the regional level APN+ will undertake peer research activities and Advocacy to address SRHR issues among woman living with HIV in this region.
