The Stephen Lewis Foundation’s mandate is to:
- provide care at community level to women who are dying, so that their last weeks, days, hours are free from pain, humiliation and indignity;
- assist orphans and other AIDS-affected children, in every possible way, from the payment of school fees to the provision of food;
- support the unsung heroes of Africa, the grandmothers, who bury their own children and care for their orphan grandchildren;
- support associations of people living with HIV and AIDS, courageous men and women who have openly declared their status and who work to educate themselves and share information with the broader community on prevention, treatment, care and the elimination of stigma.
Organisations applying for a grant from the Stephen Lewis Foundation should fulfil the following criteria:
1. Be a registered CBO or NGO. This means you should be able to provide a copy of a letter from government proving your status, and/or a fund-raising or registration number.
2. Have a bank account or access to the bank account of an accredited NGO that is working on behalf of your organization.
3. Be committed to the principles of non-discrimination against all groups of people, with a particular commitment to women and people living with HIV/AIDS.
4. Have a sound financial system to manage grant expenditures;
5. Have a functioning board, steering committee and/or leadership structure that has women and people living with HIV/AIDS.
6. Be engaged in community-based activities aimed at assisting one or more of the following: orphans and vulnerable children; young people; women; caregivers/guardians, who are often grandmothers; and people living with HIV and AIDS.
For more information and application, see: Stephen Lewis Foundation support for HIV/AIDS
