The AIDS Impact Conference is recognised as the leading international conference devoted to human and social sciences in the field of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The conference takes place in Sante Fe, USA from the 12th – 15th September 2011.

Find daily updates and opinion pieces from the conference on our blog.

Despite Africa remaining the epicentre of the AIDS pandemic, there will be few African presentations at the conference. Therefore REPSSI (the Regional Psychosocial Support Initiative) will host a track entitled “Systems in Collapse: Experiences from Africa in Strengthening Communities”.

Focusing on Placing Africa On the Agenda and looking at innovative African approaches to mitigating the impact of AIDS, delegates at the prestigious Conference will hear first-hand from a Swazi school teacher, the director of a rural Kenyan NGO, and a representative from the government of Botswana about innovative efforts to mitigate the impact of AIDS in their respective countries.

View the invitation to the special African track here http://www.aidsimpact.com/2011/Academics/REPSSI%20ecard.gif

The full titles of the presentation for REPSSI's track are:

    * National mobilization of communities to care for orphans and vulnerable children: experiences in rolling out Journey of Life in Botswana, by Kefilwe Mokokwe-Malave, Department of Social Services, Botswana
    * Strengthening capacities of communities to care: a case study of mainstreaming psychosocial support into Early Childhood Development programmes in Kenya, by Kathleen Okatcha, Kenya Orphans Rural Development Programme
    * Skills at work: experiences from a trained community based care giver in Swaziland, by Faith Simelane, high-school teacher in Swaziland and graduate of the Certificate in Community Based work with Children and Youth
    * A psychosocial intervention programme for children affected by AIDS in rural communities: Findings from a quasi-experimental evaluation study in Zambia, by Adrian Gschwend, Swiss Academy for Development