KAMPALA, Nov 1 (AFP) - The United States has granted Uganda 200 million dollars (157 million euros) for HIV/AIDS programmes, including support to orphans and vulnerable children, the US embassy announced in a statement released Monday in Kampala.
The statement said the US will give Uganda 100 million dollars in new grants to support orphans and vulnerable children as a part of President George W. Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
"In addition, more than 100 million dollars in Emergency Plan funds have been allocated to Uganda during 2004 for new or continuing HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment programs," the statement said.
It said that five organizations, Africare, AVSI, Christian AID, Plan International and Salvation Army that are currently active in Uganda, won competitive awards for the first 100 million dollars grant.
In 2003, more than 15 million children worldwide under age 18 had lost one or both parents to AIDS and it is estimated that more than 25 million children will have lost at least one parent to AIDS by 2010.
With millions of children and families affected by HIV/AIDS, the pandemic has effects beyond individual children's lives, devastating families and communities, the statement noted.
The new grants seek to address the complex and interconnected needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS, it added.
The funds will be used to support families to protect and care for their children, mobilize and strengthen community-based responses and increase to capacity for children and young people to respond to their own needs.
Other targeted areas include ensuring that host governments develop policies and provide essential services for the most vulnerable children and raising awareness to create an environment that enables support for children affected by HIV/AIDS.
11/01/2004 14:13 GMT - AFP