Image: Dr. Minerva Pinelo, Communications Specialist, facilitator of the capacity building training for CSOs in Belize  

The National AIDS Commission (NAC) Belize engaged Civil Society Organizations (CSO) in a one-day capacity building and development session intended to promote and improve the quality of key CSO participation while enhancing and operationalizing each organization’s program profile. The session was held at the University of the West Indies Conference Room in January.

The one-day session focused on enhancing the country’s multi-sector approach to the HIV epidemic, and developing the CSO’s ability to create targeted, program-centric impact in achieving the 90-90-90 Goals (by 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression).

The sessions built the capacity of each organization to recognize and assess their relevance and role within the national response to HIV and how that translates into positive targeted action that will create change. Participants were asked to assess themselves based on their mandates, visions, and missions as well as identify their specific target audience in relation to the national agenda and goals. This fostered inter-agency collaboration within the CSO community of Belize and allowed each organization to identify their specific niche within the national response to HIV.

The sessions were facilitated by Dr. Minerva Pinelo, Communications Specialist and coordinated by the NAC Secretariat.  The NAC will continue to assist CSOs in their individual and collective work with the overarching aim of elevating the national HIV response.