The handbook is designed to serve as a preliminary guide and step for the faith community to learn about the Global Fund’s history, structures and politics, and to increase awareness among faith groups about the organization’s grant process. It is also intended to help expand partnerships with faith groups based both in America and developing countries. The manual is also available in Spanish and is entitled Trabajando con el Fundo Mundial de Lucha contra el SIDA, la Tuberculosis y la Malaria: Orientaciones par Organizaciones Basadas en la Fe. 

Click here to download the publication in English.

Click here to download the Spanish translation.

Press Release

Washington, DC, May 9, 2007 – Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, TB & Malaria, Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH) and World Vision announced today the launch of a new handbook, “ Engaging With The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria: A Primer for Faith-Based Organizations.” The new handbook, providing technical assistance and help with the grant application process, was introduced at a briefing today for over 40 faith groups, including Association of Evangelical Relief and Development, Catholic Relief Services and Bread for the World. ).

“Religious organizations provide so much of the health care and orphan care in Africa . If the Global Fund is to help countries reach the goal of universal access to AIDS treatment and care, and if every child in a region with malaria is to sleep under a bed net, we need to engage better with more faith organizations. This handbook represents our overall effort to strengthen partnerships and help our partners save more lives,” said Dr. Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The handbook is designed to serve as a preliminary guide and step for the faith community to learn about the Global Fund’s history, structures and politics, and to increase awareness among faith groups about the organization’s grant process. It is also intended to help expand partnerships with faith groups based both in America and developing countries.

“The handbook and today’s briefing are both indicative of the Global Fund’s commitment to successfully engaging with and working alongside the faith community in the fight against the three diseases,” said Natasha Bilimoria, Executive Director of Friends of the Global Fight. “If we hope to truly make a difference, faith groups must be part of the process.”

“Commissioning this primer for faith organizations demonstrates that the Global Fund is committed to better engaging with groups that are leaders in providing care, services and expertise in the fight against these three devastating diseases,” said Robert Zachritz, World Vision’s senior policy advisor for global development. “This is a step in the right direction to empower better collaboration, since both the Global Fund and faith organizations share the same goals of funding quality programs that save lives."

In addition to Dr. Kazatchkine, Dr. Milton B. Amayun, Senior Technical Advisor from World Vision, Ray Martin, Executive Director of Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH), and Karen Sichinga, Deputy Director of the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) are joined in today’s briefing.

"Faith-based organizations are critical to the Fund's success in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria," said Tom Hart, Deputy Director, DATA. "Today’s event and the handbook is a key step in a partnership to save lives."

The Global Fund seeks to expand partnerships with faith-based organizations based in both America and developing countries, building on current successful efforts with organizations from the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) to World Vision.

“As a person of faith, I’ve seen how the support of the Global Fund helps us, the nurses and doctors on the front line in the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria, in our call to serve our communities and save and change lives,” said Zambian nurse Karen Sichinga. “Together, we really can achieve more. I believe God is with those who are in need, and we are able to help them everyday due to the Global Fund.”

"This initial meeting between Dr. Kazatchkine and the U.S. faith community augers well for the Global Fund and the organization’s growing collaboration with religious institutions,” said Ray Martin, Executive Director, Christian Connections for International Health. “That Dr. Kazatchkine is allocating time on his inaugural visit to visit with the faith community shows the organization’s dedication to partnering with us.”

Click here to download the publication in English.

Click here to download the Spanish translation.