Fellowships


Background

PEPFAR is an unprecedented commitment by the American people to support the efforts of nations most affected by the HIV pandemic. It is the largest program ever launched in 2003 by a single nation for an international health initiative - a five year, 15 billion dollar, multifaceted approach to combating disease in more than 120 countries around the world.

On July 30, 2008, H.R. 5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 was signed into law, authorizing up to $48 billion over the next 5 years up to 2013 to combat global HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

The goal of PEPFAR is to support treatment for at least 3 million infected people, support prevention of 12 million new infections, and support care for 12 million people, including 5 million orphans and vulnerable children infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.

To meet these goals and build sustainable local capacity, PEPFAR will support training of at least 140,000 new health care workers in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care.

With between a minimum estimation of 5 million and 6 million HIV-infected citizens, South Africa is a focal point for PEPFAR support, which exceeded 220 million dollars in 2006. PEPFAR activities in South Africa are developed in close coordination with the South African Government, and are implemented by more than 300 local partner organizations, including several South African Government Departments.

The success of PEPFAR is firmly rooted in a commitment to results. Through partnerships between the American people and the South African government, non-governmental organizations including faith-based organizations and community-based.

Organisations, and the private sector – we are building sustainable systems and empowering individuals, communities, and nations to battle HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, many new local PEPFAR partners were engaged to rapidly scale up HIV and AIDS programming during the past few years. Strengthening the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity of these partners was regarded as an essential component of program implementation.

An innovative six-month fellowship program was launched by PEPFAR in 2005, where recent graduates of Masters in Public Health programs were matched with PEPFAR partners that were in particular need of M&E support.

Since a need has arisen for rapid expansion of the development of human capacity to support antiretroviral treatment programs, the fellowship program has been expanded in 2007/8 and 2009/10 to include a broader range of master’s level skills with the focus on providing assistance and support to PEPFAR treatment partners and those supporting treatment initiatives.

These skills may range from monitoring and evaluation, comprehensive health system development, strategic information management, clinical project roll-out or quality improvement management, as well as development and support within (Health Care Information Systems Management (HMIS).

Placements are also available for skills that support clinical fields such as specialist infectious disease control and patient case management, HIV in the workplace programme implementation, “care for carers” programmes, orphans & vulnerable children (OVC) support services as well as HIV prevention integration with patient wellness programme management including PMTCT and Tuberculosis management integration with all other HIV and AIDS preventative and clinical services.

The main objectives of the fellowship program for 2010 are to build capacity within these mentioned fields as well as to create opportunities for master’s level students within the HIV and AIDS health care field to gain practical experience within a mentorship work environment

Become a Fellow

PEPFAR fellowship Programme

"Building a better society through education and capacity development" A Fellowship Programme partnering capacity - building fellows in masters degree programmes with PEPFAR partners and AIDS service organizations in South Africa.

Programme Objectives

  • To support the expansion of access to comprehensive HIV and AIDS care in South Africa through the advancement of human capacity development
  • To promote the application of postgraduate learning in the practical HIV and AIDS service environment
  • To provide technical assistance to PEPFAR implementing partners

Programme Model

Salaried positions ARE AVAILABLE through-out South Africa with the focus on "scarce skills" in the HIV/AIDS Environment such as:

  • Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) / Strategic Information Management / Project Management technical support
  • Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) development and technical support
  • Clinical technical support related to HIV & AIDS Comprehensive Treatment and TB Integration Management Programmes
  • Psycho-social technical support
  • HIV & AIDS in the workplace programme development and implementation
  • Orphans & vulnerable children (OVC) technical support services
  • Human Resources Management
  • Finance and Supply Chain Management
  • Research

Applicant Requirements

  • South African citizens or permanent residents with a South African green bar-coded ID book.
  • Masters Degree graduates or final year Masters Students.
  • Willingness to work in the remote locations within South Africa.

Benefits

Benefits for the Host Organizations

  • The Host Organization receives a Masters level fellow who will be an immediate and qualified resource
  • A sponsored human resource capacity.
  • Couching and mentorship opportunity to build own work force.
  • This program will contribute to building a strong HIV/AIDS environment support systems.
  • Organizations that participate in this program will be sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience.

Benefits for Fellows

  • We give young, skilled individuals with masters level education the opportunity to make substantial difference in the South African healthcare environment
  • Fellows are placed in organizations to assist in improving existing systems as well as introduce systems that will enable processes of the organizations to work more efficiently
  • We provide a career building opportunity by giving valuable work experience to masters level students and graduates, which will result in the individuals being employable due to adequate working experience.

Recruitment Process

Processes:

  • We recruit student from reputable institutions of higher education.
  • Interviews are conducted to determine the quality of the candidates.
  • Successful candidates are then matched with host organizations.
  • After placement candidates are inducted into the programme

Click here to download the Application Form

Click here to download the Indemnity Form

Become a Host

A Fellowship Programme Partnering Capacity-Building Fellows with PEPFAR Partners & HIV/AIDS Service Organizations in South Africa.

Programme Objectives

  • To support the expansion of access to comprehensive HIV and AIDS care in South Africa through the advancement of human capacity development
  • To promote the application of postgraduate learning in the practical HIV and AIDS service environment
  • To provide technical assistance to PEPFAR implementing partners

Information Summary

Salaried positions ARE AVAILABLE through-out South Africa with the focus on "scarce skills" in the HIV/AIDS Environment such as:

  • Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) / Strategic Information Management / Project Management technical support
  • Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) development and technical support
  • Clinical technical support related to HIV & AIDS Comprehensive Treatment and TB Integration Management Programmes
  • Psycho-social technical support
  • HIV & AIDS in the workplace programme development and implementation
  • Orphans & vulnerable children (OVC) technical support services
  • Human Resources Management
  • Finance and Supply Chain Management
  • Research

Applicant Requirements

  • South African citizens or permanent residents with a South African green bar-coded ID book.
  • Masters Degree graduates or final year Masters Students.
  • Willingness to work in the remote locations within South Africa.

Knowledge and Skills Required

The incumbent must be highly organized, and possess good oral and written communication skills. The incumbent must be comfortable working independently and developing new procedures and systems. In addition, the incumbent must be highly proficient with the Microsoft Office Suite.

Experience Required

The incumbent should possess A Masters Degree or have completed 80% of their Masters course work or in their final year of the degree such as MPH, MSc, MBA, Masters in medical informatics/computer science or any other relevant Masters Degree including clinical qualification such as MBChB, MMed as well as nursing sciences, psychology, the social sciences and other allied health professions fields.

High Priority Preferred Profiles

Masters in Public Health, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Development Studies, Medical Informatics, Nursing Sciences, Psychology, Social Sciences, MBChB (Medical Practitioners), Medical Specialists.

Placement Duration

1 Year

Annual Intake Dates

  • January / February
  • June / July
  • September /October

Job Description Framework

  • Recent masters degree university graduates or finalizing a masters degree at a participating South African University
  • South African citizens or permanent residents a South African ID green bar-coded book and possess unique skills that can be utilized in HIV and AIDS programmes
  • First time participants in this program

Primary Responsibilities

A Fellow may assist designated PEPFAR partners in such areas as:

  • Monitoring and evaluation of HIV and AIDS services
  • Management development to enhance delivery systems
  • Project management roll-out of new clinical HIV and AIDS services
  • Development and support within Health Care Information Systems Management (HMIS)
  • Comprehensive multi-disciplinary clinical management of HIV and AIDS services
  • Specialist infectious disease control and patient case management
  • HIV in the workplace programme development and implementation and service delivery / "Care for carers" programme development and service delivery
  • Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC) support services
  • HIV prevention integration with patient wellness programme management
  • Special focus point: PMTCT and Tuberculosis management integration with all other HIV and AIDS preventative and clinical services.

Examples of Avtivities in whitch the fellows can be involved are

  • Monitoring and Evaluation - design and conduct monitoring and evaluation strategies and activities
  • Grant Writing - help develop grant applications or fundraising systems
  • Management - oversee project or aspects of projects; strengthen management systems; develop project plans, communication plans, etc
  • Clinical - strengthen clinical programmes in specific areas such as prevention of mother to child transmission, tuberculosis, care for careers programme development, OVC-related clinical support and HIV and AIDS treatment support

Desirable Attributes

The incumbent should have a strong service ethic, be well organized, reliable and able to work independently. S/he should be dedicated to deliver results of high quality. S/he must be able to work well with people.

Range of possible Fellowship Activities

  • Provide specialized scarce skills such as infectious disease control specialist or nurse practitioner skills to organizations with the focus on skills transfer and quality disease Assist in the development of M&E plans and standardized M&E tools for specific program monitoring
  • Assist in the development of site specific standard operating procedures for all aspects of data management
  • Develop, implement and evaluate psycho-social assessment tools for the organization
  • Develop and implement an employee debriefing program for health care workers within the organization
  • Develop, implement and evaluate a HIV in the workplace program for the organization
  • Management pathway development
  • Assist the organization/s with grant writing in order to secure funding for sustainability development and skills transfer purposes

PEPFAR Funding

PEPFAR covers the following costs of the fellowship: monthly living stipends only.

PEPFAR placement partner organizations must, however, cover any travel and other logistical costs related to expected fellowship duties during the one year placement time-frame.

Monthly stipends depend on scarce skills type and level of experience of fellows as well as the geographical location of placement sites.

PEPFAR Fellowship Programme (PFP) Annual Placement dates

  • January/February
  • June/July
  • October

How to become a PEPFAR Fellowship Placement Partner

Contact the Coordinator: PEPFAR Fellowship Programme for your placement request and complete the attached Needs Assessment template and provide the following details:

  • Specify your type of HIV/AIDS service organization and if you are a PEPFAR Partner
  • Specify the type of fellowship you have in mind including a job description framework as well as your fellowship outcome expectations
  • A memorandum of understanding will have to be signed between your organization and the Foundation for Professional Development in order for the fellowship to be approved
  • E-mail: fellowship@foundation.co.za, Tel: 012 816 9000/8306, Fax: 086 567 1949

Placement Process

  • Source candidates from the needs assessment form
  • Short list and host interviews
  • Contracts and induction of fellow
  • Resume responsibilities