World Education Initiative Supporting HIV-Affected Children Shifts to Locally Led Network – JSI

World Education, a division of JSI, is pleased to announce that the Bantwana Initiative is transitioning to local leadership through the new, independent Bantwana Regional Network. The Network brings together Bantwana Initiative national organizations in Eswatini, Uganda, and Zimbabwe to share knowledge, pool resources, and amplify Bantwana’s impact across sub-Saharan Africa.

A Long History of Putting Children and Caregivers First

The Bantwana Initiative developed out of World Education’s Africa portfolio in 2006. Working alongside local groups and individuals at the frontline of the HIV epidemic, the project aimed to fill service gaps across sub-Saharan Africa for HIV-affected orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their communities.

For nearly twenty years and across seven African countries, the Bantwana Initiative has supported more than 600,000 children, adolescents, and their families annually with care and services promoting holistic health, education, child and social protection, and resilience.

Bantwana’s teams in Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Uganda have cultivated lasting relationships with local governments and communities throughout eastern and southern Africa and have made significant contributions to health and education systems in the region, including supporting the establishment of National Case Management Systems in Zimbabwe and Eswatini.

We have a lot of shared issues, and when you move together, you become stronger. It’s not just about Uganda; it is about Uganda and Zimbabwe and Eswatini, and I hope other countries will join too.” —Susan Kajura, Director, Bantwana Initiative Uganda

From Partnerships to Independence

The Bantwana Initiative worked with several local organizations to help them secure direct funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In Uganda, the Initiative supported seven organizations in two years; in Zimbabwe, it supported the first local organizations to ever receive direct USAID funding.

It is the right moment to launch the Bantwana Regional Network. Bantwana’s experienced and passionate leaders will guide the Initiative through changing landscapes with the same commitment to innovation and impact they have always had.” —Patience Ndlovu, Regional Director, Southern Africa, JSI (previous Vice President, Bantwana Initiative)

Starting in 2018, the Bantwana Initiative has gradually shifted its presence in Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Uganda to independent, locally led organizations in response to each country’s changing needs and unique contexts. This transition was part of the Bantwana founding vision and is a natural evolution of its implementation model.

What’s Next for the Bantwana Regional Network

Through the Bantwana Regional Network, Bantwana leaders will maintain and strengthen the Bantwana mission, brand, and presence in sub-Saharan Africa. World Education and the Bantwana Initiative will move forward separately but with an enduring relationship.

For nearly two decades, the Bantwana Initiative has partnered with governments, organizations, and communities in sub-Saharan Africa to implement high-impact, community-based health, education, and social protection interventions. At JSI, we are excited for Bantwana’s future through the Regional Network and look forward to continuing our partnership.” —Muka Chikuba-McLeod, President and CEO, JSI

World Education will continue to build on the legacy of Bantwana programming through relevant practice areas, such as integrated youth development, women’s economic empowerment, and early childhood development. World Education will also continue, where appropriate, to partner with local implementers and provide technical assistance and capacity exchange.