About us

WACI Health is an Africa regional advocacy organization committed to creating political will to end life-threatening epidemics and improve health for all in Africa.

Our History

We started out as World AIDS Campaign (WAC) in 1997, to focus on raising public awareness on specific issues on the global AIDS response. This was achieved by working to support and strengthen campaigning on HIV accountability among diverse civil society constituencies worldwide.

WACI was also tasked to lead the planning and observance of the International World Aids Day. In 2004, became an independent NGO based in the Netherlands.

In 2008, the organization undertook a strategic shift that would lead to the registration of World Aids Campaign International  (WACI) in South Africa. Over the following (4) years, WACI would see a range of institutional and leadership transitions. From a global organization, founded and headquartered in Europe, working in various geographical regions, including: Europe, Africa, Asia, Middle East and North Africa, to an organization that is today based and focused on Africa addressing not only HIV but also broader issues in health.

The organization’s deliberate shift to focus on Africa was guided by the need to be more conscientious, more innovative and even more accountable and streamlined in our approaches as we continued to ensure that the organization maintained her pivotal role in the global AIDS response, while continually embracing and incorporating the broader health development agenda into her work.

After seven (7) years as World AIDS Campaign International, the organization is now referred to as ‘WACI Health’.

Vision

Health for all in Africa

Mission

WACI Health exists to champion the end of life-threatening epidemics and health for all in Africa by influencing political priorities through an effective, evidence-driven Pan-African civil society voice and action.

Our Strategic Approach

In our transition from World AIDS Campaign International to WACI Health, we remain committed to responding vigorously to epidemics such as AIDS, TB and malaria as well as associated causes of death. In addition, the shifting field of global health calls us to support long-term investments in health and explore the interconnectedness of major infectious diseases and conditions that continue to kill many across the world. At the core of our strategy is a deliberate intention to broadly contribute to health equity, human rights and gender equality.

Our approach is based on our theory of change, which is made up of three core strategies:

1. Policy and advocacy: Policy watch and analysis for strategic input and accountability at global, regional and national levels. Through political advocacy, we will seek to influence perceptions, views and decisions of those in positions of power. We will continually seek to achieve improved tools for data analysis and evidence for advocacy.
2. Civil society Capacity Strengthening: Strengthening capacity of Civil Society to engage as strong advocates for health in Africa. We will support realization of appropriate civil society capacity for utilization of tools, and knowledge to apply evidence in advocacy. We will seek to strengthen civil society and community organizing for health advocacy.

• Civil society mobilization: Building a civil society movement in Africa in order to raise a critical mass of people whose voices and action will be core to ending the epidemics and improving health for all in Africa. We envisage a movement that will broadly contribute to health equity, human rights and gender equality.

The theory of change is dynamic and interactive, with all of the strategies working together to impact 3 areas of Global Health work, which broadly point to our strategic goals.

1. Resources for health: We will focus on urging national governments and international agencies to step up their investments in health through transparent investments.
2. Research and Development: We will focus on supporting health research and development with an aim to see that its application and delivery results to access to health products, technologies, innovations and better health for the people most in need.

• Civic Engagement: We will strive to support stronger civil society and community voice and action. We see this strengthening/empowerment not only as a process in health advocacy but also an end in itself where empowerment contributes to sustainability beyond specific processes.