Tackling the HIV/AIDS Pandemic with African AIDS Initiative Hepburn Center Internship Summer 2010 Tsega Mekonnen Meshesha ‘13

The Organization African AIDS Initiative International Inc. “Fighting For Life”

Their Vision To see AIDS free healthy and productive Africans

Their Mission To prevent the incidence and mitigate the negative impacts of HIV/AIDS among Africans

Main Goal To develop and promote an environment that enables HIV/AIDS prevention, service availability, networking and research in Africa.

Program & Project Areas AAII works with University students and commercial sex workers on three areas: HIV/AIDS Prevention Care & Support Capacity Building

My project  Teen pregnancies  Illegal abortions  HIV/AIDS

Mentors Elleni Gebreamlak, Executive Director Co-Founder of AAII  Key tasks: write grants for AAII  Advocates for the individuals affected by HIV/AIDS within the community Zewdie Shitte, Program Head  Key tasks: chairman of all the various programs run by AAII

My Experience Rewards & Challenges

Lessons Learned How the Ethiopian employment system operates How the Ethiopian Healthcare system runs The format of an NGO How to form partnerships with other NGOs Received training to increase HIV prevention

Special Thanks to: Elleni Gebreamlak Executive Director Zewdie Shitte Program Head & the rest of the staff at the Sidist Kilo office