Manzini, Swaziland – In a response to the high rate of AIDS deaths and pediatric HIV in Southern and Eastern Africa, the United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) andmothers2mothers (m2m) launched a five-year regional partnership today at an event in Manzini, Swaziland. The partnership, which is the first of its kind in the region, is part of USAID’s Southern Africa Regional HIV/AIDS Program (RHAP) and is designed to strengthen country-led programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and eliminate pediatric AIDS in Southern and Eastern Africa, the region hit hardest by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. 

Swaziland will be the first country under the new partnership to receive USAID funding to implement m2m’s “Mentor Mothers Reducing Infections through Support and Education (RISE)” Project.