Eighteen high level managers of civil society organisations fighting HIV/Aids have completed a month-long training on Leadership Management and Resource Mobilisation.

The training which was organised by the National AIDS Control Commission (CNLS) in partnership with the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) ended last Saturday at Hotel Okapi in Nyarugenge District.

According to Dieudonne H. Ruturwa, UNAIDS Rwanda Partnership Advisor, the main aim of the training was to equip the managers with a higher capacity to plan for and provide leadership on HIV responses at district and community level.

He added that the training also aimed at enhancing competencies of Program Managers in HIV/Aids monitoring and evaluation.

Participation of civil society organisations is considered by CNLS as a key factor to reaching the smallest actors in AIDS response at national and decentralised levels.

While addressing the participants at the closing ceremony, Ruturwa said that the UN is committed to supporting the government in the HIV/Aids response.

"We want to work in the same synergy to bring the prevalence of AIDS to zero, which is also the government’s plan in the EDPRS,” he said.

Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) is one of the ways the country is using to curb poverty. 

Speaking to The New Times, Leon Rusanganwa from the NGO Forum said that the training had various components such as fund mobilisation, human resource management, and social behaviour, among others. He said that this is going to help in building the capacity of Civil Society Organisations.

"Resource mobilisation has been an interesting area in this training and it is the one that we need from time to time because it is going to help us in changing ways we have been approaching and mobilising for funds from our sponsors,” said Ignace Singirankabo a member of Faith Based Organisations Network Against AIDS (RCLS). According to the organisers, the training program was carried out in different sessions of two days a week.

In 2003, CNLS with support from development partners implemented this participatory approach by assisting civil society to be organised into 10 organisations to support Aids response in different areas.

The ten organisations whose managers were trained in this particular training are; National Network of People Living with HIV (RRP+), National Women’s Council, National Youth Council, People Living with Disabilities, Private sector,  transporters, media houses & journalists, Faith Based Organizations Network  Against  AIDS (RCLS) and the Public sector. 

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