CARA is a UK registered, international non-profit organisation that exists to empower people infected, affected and at risk of HIV/AIDS. To alleviate their physical, emotional and financial hardship, enabling them to improve their quality of life, live with dignity and exercise self-determination. It was established in July 2003 by HIV/AIDS sufferers. It makes a real difference in the fight against AIDS! It specialises in producing innovative and affordable HIV and sexual health awareness-raising resources aimed at the general public, and young people in particular. We provide financial and administrative support to local HIV/AIDS awareness initiatives that operate in rural Central African districts. As well as educating and raising awareness, it equips young people with the life skills they need to overcome cultural pressures and avoid contracting HIV.

These resources are invaluable in promoting key sexual health messages and encouraging responsible safer sex. Please help raise money to make a positive difference to HIV/AIDS victims' lives.

HIV is on the increase in every region of the world, including the UK where it is the fastest growing serious health condition. CARA is one of the UK's leading independent policy and campaigning charity on HIV and AIDS. It develops policies and campaigns to halt the spread of HIV, improve the quality of life of people affected by HIV, and eradicate HIV-related stigma and discrimination, both in the UK and internationally.

Although we are unable to cure HIV/AIDS, we still want to stop the virus from spreading and would like to reduce the amount of stigma that still surrounds this virus. Virtually all of those living with HIV/AIDS conceal their identities, because they don't want to be verbally or physically abused. These HIV/AIDS victims including women and chilldren are extremely courageous! It is very important if you decide to support our charity, because many people are inspired by our stories and good work.

Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure! It's also the most efficient way to donate. CARA will receive your money faster and if you're a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you!

We want to make thousands of HIV/AIDS victims smile!

So please dig deep and donate now.

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please click on donate or help raise money for CARA by visiting our website: http://www.cara-online.org 

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

The Board of Directors, CARA

The examples below illustrate how both small and large donations can make a difference to CARA and clients we support. However if you have a particular area of work which you would like to support, please contact us.

For CARA's Advocacy Work

£10 will pay daily expenses of one volunteers, who will in turn deliver 7 hours of advice to a client.

£15 will pay for an hour of generalist advice.

£30 will pay for an outreach worker to visit an elderly client at home.
 
£60 will pay for one hour of specialist advice.

£90 will fund the direct costs for solving a housing problem.

£170 will enable us to advise throughout an average employment dispute.

£190 helps us to support a family in debt to avoid having their home repossessed.

£500 pays for a new leaflet to be distributed to recruit new volunteers.

£1000 pays for a PC for a volunteer to use for advice work.

£1,500 pays for the training of new CARA volunteer adviser.

For Our HIV/AIDS Services
"HIV/AIDS is an unprecedented global development challenge. It affects children, women and men, but also devastates households and communities, and threatens entire nations. CARA supports communities in Central African developing countries to play a full and effective role in the global response to AIDS. With your help, we can provide more support to more people." Ms Kiwisa MULWEMI, Director of CARA HIV/AIDS Services.

Here are some examples of how your donation could support the work of CARA and its community-based partners:

£20 could buy 500 condoms - The condom remains the only technology available to protect against the sexual transmission of HIV. Yet demand for condoms is not met by supply, and the most impoverished communities cannot afford them. With education, support and consistent supply, people can learn to integrate condom use into their sexual lives, and protect themselves and their partners.

£50 could help to train someone to deliver prevention, care and support services Limited national health care provision and inaccessible health services leave many people isolated from essential help and advice. When local people are trained to deliver services themselves within AIDS-affected communities, they can provide psychological and other practical support – for example, in relation to HIV prevention, treatment and meeting economic and social needs.

£100 could help fund voluntary counselling and testing for twenty people - In countries severely affected by HIV/AIDS, fewer than one in ten people with HIV know that they are infected. Voluntary counseling and testing is an important prevention tool, as well as opening up opportunities for treatment, care and support for people who test HIV positive. People who choose to take a test benefit from confidential dialogue with a trained counselor, both before and after the test.

£500 could help fund the production of educational materials for people who are most at risk either of contracting HIV or of passing on the virus In many parts of the world, it difficult to access comprehensive and accurate information and education on sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS, and how to prevent them. However, equipped with this essential information, people can learn about the steps they can take to protect themselves, protect their sexual partners and limit the further spread of HIV.

£1,000 could help provide essential food support for ten people taking antiretroviral (ARV) treatment over the course of one year - Someone taking ARV treatment should eat a balanced diet; this helps maintain health, and assists in absorbing some ARVs into the body. Also eating regularly is important, because some ARVs must be taken together with meals in order to be effective. Good nutrition can help to extend the period in which a person with HIV/AIDS is well and able to work.

You are of course welcome to make a donation of any amount you choose – every penny will help our work. Please note that CARA must spend its funds in accordance with its mission and as efficiently and effectively as possible. We will therefore use your donation for such purposes as we consider most appropriate at any given time. We are committed to spending as much of it as possible on our work in developing countries.

£20 per month of your money will help CARA provide income generating activities such as bakeries for women like Mandeni - Mandeni  who lives in the Congo , and the women who live in two nearby villages, Kasangulu and Ikinsi – no longer have to work in these conditions. Thanks to your donations CARA has built three new, properly equipped bakeries.

£50 per month will help us provide clean water - Kukiba no longer has to spend four hours walking every day just to provide water for her family. Thanks to your support a well has been sunk and the water piped to the centre of the village of Endagiorgis so that now she only has to walk 50 metres. Now she has clean water and more time to care for her family.

£100 per month will provide nutrition and literacy training for a community for a year - Women taking part in CARA’s nutrition and literacy training. This programme works with 1000 mothers who are faced with food shortages. Training includes demonstrations and information about new fruits and vegetables.

£150 per month will help families like Euphrasie's to benefit from CARA ’s Income Generation Support - Kadima (19), and his sister Euphrasie (17), were determined to keep their younger brothers and sisters together after their parents died of AIDS. This was possible through CARA ’s Income Generation support. They rise early, Euphrasie makes doughnuts and Kadima takes them on his bicycle to sell in nearby small kiosks, before they all go to school. Kadima also plants corn and beans in their small plot of land. They have been able to buy blankets and food for themselves and their younger brothers and sisters and they continue to live as a family.

CARA is an independent charity working to support the provision of free independent advice and services to the general public. We receive no government funding for our running costs and rely on the income from membership fees and commission on services. You can HELP US to raise money with your donation/shopping as this would make a very real difference!

1. EDUCATION
Since education plays a significant role in reducing poverty, CARA is involved in empowering the children, parents as well as any adult by helping them to reach their potentials, i.e. by quipping them with the right skills and knowledge that help to transform their lives.

2. HIV/AIDS
CARA helps through education and raising awareness in communities to combat HIV/AIDS since HIV/AIDS is one of the dangerous diseases in developing countries where millions of childrebn are left orphans and as well many adults are left widows. HIV undermines not just social well-being, but the economy as well. The potential threat of HIV and AIDS is something that cannot be ignored.

CARA provides opportunities for those affected by HIV through its advisory services, training volunteers, free condom distribution, promotion of access to voluntary HIV counselling and testing as well as efforts to mitigate the effect of HIV/AIDS in poor communities since these are the effective ways in reducing the spread of HIV.

3. WATER/SANITATION
CARA provides funding sustainable clean water and sanitation facilities in area of greatest need in Burundi, Congo Democratic Republic, Congo Republic, Angola, Central African Republic, Chad, Cameroon, Gabon, Guinea, Rwanda, Congo, etc. CARA helps to raise awareness of the water crisis through events, fundraising exhibitions and other public awareness campaigns.

Since people in developing world especially children and women walk hours and hours every day to fetch water that is unsafe and likely to cause diseases such as diarrhea and cholera, CARA will help by building hygienic wells and raising awareness of unsafe or inadequate supplies of water, poor hygiene and sanitation that cause diseases and killing people than other forms of violence.

4. POVERTY RELIEF
CARA is involved in crisis relief, international development, provision of sponsorship, disaster management and providing aid relief for victims of disaster, support communities to better withstand disaster, what information and skills they need to be able to overcome these problems.

5. ELDERLY PEOPLE
CARA helps supports elderly to overcome isolation through organised group walks, IT training and access to a range of volunteering opportunities enabling them to stay active and share experiences.

6. PROSTITUTION
CARA helps in the fight against prostitution, which impct in the Central African developing countries is very immense, as millions of young women have been left vulnerable. We also address the potential threat of prostitution, such as HIV/AIDS by supporting or empowering them within their journey into social and economic integration through our advisory services and funding vocational courses.

7. ADVOCACY WORK
Our aim is to speak up against abuse and injustice on behalf of the poor. We also help in influencing decision makers through our public campaigning to raise awareness and mobilise, research the cause of poverty and injustice. We help service users to make their views clear and their wishes are heard, expressed and presented effectively. This is by offering support, counselling, legal advice, advocacy, referrals, free condom distribution scheme, counterweight programme, drug misuse awareness, neighbourhood initiatives, community development, translation, interpretation, research, family mediation, information; and, helping with legal action, testifying in court, housing, claiming benefits and compensation to members of our community and the public, including immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees facing domestic violence.

It also provide support by giving a helping hand to the community, especially to those whose first language is not English or language barrier by providing One Stop Shop for refugees and asylum seekers, County Court Lay Advice Scheme, filling out application forms for schools, funding, housing, Department for Work and Pensions, etc.

CARA presses for social recognition and campaigns for fair and respectful treatment from the police and courts of asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants. We also press for increased resources for recovery and prevention including compensation, welfare benefits, debt, housing, and improved public transport.