Since the start of the pilot BIZAids programme in 2004, 4,718 micro enterprises already received training in basic business skills and HIV and AIDS, through trainers contracted to SABCOHA, delivering the BizAIDS training programme.  

BizAIDS is a partnership programme between the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and the South Africa Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS (SABCOHA).  Since the start of the pilot programme in 2004 to date, with assistance from various donors such as USAID/South Africa under the Economic Growth Strategic Objective, The British Department for International Development (DFID), CDC and the Gauteng Department of Health's, Multi Sectoral AIDS Unit (MSAU), 4718 micro enterprises already received training in basic business skills and HIV and AIDS, through trainers contracted to SABCOHA, delivering the BizAIDS training programme. 

Sustaining economic growth and limiting the impact of HIV and AIDS are the two major challenges facing South African businesses, especially small and micro enterprises. (Businesses with less than 10 employees)

Micro and small enterprises provide the majority of employment available in the developing world. As a result, if one of these businesses has to close or reduce the service it offers, it can be devastating to the owner, its employees, their families and dependants as well as the community the business serves.

These enterprises often have very tight profit margins, limited access to support mechanisms, many of the businesses are individually owned and mostly by women, are often hard to reach and are consequently out of reach of educational and health interventions related to HIV and AIDS.

Most of the very small businesses are usually run by people engaged in business activities as a means of survival. They are particularly vulnerable to the impact of illness and have few, if any resources to support them in a crisis.

For these reasons BizAIDS was developed and is a "business health check". The focus is on the importance of sustaining business health and continuity in the face of a variety of risks. This is achieved by strengthening the operating ability of very small businesses to put in place measures to protect and to provide sustainability for their businesses and as a result the health and well being of the employees and their families.

BizAIDS addresses the health and empowerment of micro enterprises and the people involved with them, by combining business and life skills training with HIV and AIDS information and education.

The methodology is based on practical information and assistance designed to have an immediate impact at the personal and business level. It offers basic money management and business training and introduces the concepts of HIV and AIDS prevention, testing and treatment in a non-threatening integrated manner, which encourages training participants to speak freely among themselves and with their trainer, about their rights and how HIV and AIDS is impacting on them, their business, employees and families. In this setting, the stigma of HIV and AIDS is reduced and results have shown that participants have a renewed sense of confidence in their ability to help themselves, employees and their families to cope with the disease.

BizAIDS is offered in partnership with local business organisations such as chambers of commerce and trade associations, both for their members and as a way of attracting new members.

Success

The target for the Department of Health (MSAU) for the past year 2008/2009 was 440 and we managed to train 717 participants. The target for CDC for this year is 750 and training of 727 has been completed with training of a further 310 participants planned for August. SABCOHA's goal is to expand the BizAIDS programme and through it train 7 000 micro enterprises by 2010.  

With the funding received from CDC, VCT and treatment is provided over and above the BizAIDS training.  

Approximately 80% of BizAIDS training participants have been taking up VCT during the past year. It is also SABCOHA's goal to offer BizAIDS training in all provinces by the end of 2010. Currently we are delivering the programme in Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and Eastern Cape. Limited programmes have been offered in the past in KZN and North West province. These two provinces, as well as Free State and Western Cape will be targeted strongly during the next year with programmes continuing in the other provinces.

We experienced a huge response this year from Mpumalanga, Limpopo and the Northern Cape for BizAIDS training both in urban and rural areas. With continued funding and strengthened partnerships, we will be able to extend programmes even to some of the most under resourced areas.  

BizAIDS targets predominantly women since 75% of the people starting very small businesses are women that earn less than R4, 000.00 per month. At least 50% of the businesses started by these women have failed within three months after starting their business due to a lack of skills in business management and financial record keeping.

Focus will also be on micro enterprises in the entertainment industry for the next 10 months in preparation for 2010.

We are grateful for the support from the business sector, ward councilors, government departments and community leaders and workers. They assisted trainers with the recruitment of participants, venues and other logistics.

Gratitude must also go to our current donors, CDC and Gauteng Department of Health (MSAU) for their generous ongoing support of the programme.

Corporates, potential funders or others interested in BizAIDS can email Susan Preller, BizAIDS Project Manager This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

To contact IESC in the United States: Tel (202) 326 0280;  fax (202) 326 0289; IESC website.

For presentations on BizAIDS:  Empowering very small businesses. BizAids Launch April 2006