The Networking AIDS Community of South Africa is a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, servicing the Western Cape. 

In the Western Cape, burgeoning HIV infection rates are masked by a low provincial average. In fact, the province has one of the fastest HIV/AIDS growth rates in South Africa, jumping seven per cent in just three years.

This growth means that non-government and community-based organisations are now being asked to expand their prevention and support services. But many face considerable challenges:

• They lack the capacity to secure and manage funds
• They rely on volunteer support and lack infrastructure
• They often can't meet the sophisticated criteria set by donors
• Without access to information and other networks, they are unable to form a united response to the disease
• Many lack the knowledge and resources to negotiate effectively with government

HIV and AIDS is destroying families, splintering communities and devastating the social and economic fabric of our nation. It is essential that civil society is united and equipped to respond to the disease’s rapid growth in the province.

We believe that grassroots organisations are best placed to respond to the pandemic: they understand the specific issues in their communities and they enjoy the trust of the people directly affected.

Our Mission
NACOSA seeks to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS through capacity building, networking and strengthening the multi-sectoral response between government and civil society.

Our Strategy
We will achieve this through:

• Promoting capacity and providing technical resources to NGOs, CBOs and the public
• Acting as a conduit for small grants to promote the development of CBOs
• Mentoring and training HIV/AIDS NGOs and CBOs to enhance the effective implementation of HIV/AIDS programmes
• Lobbying and mobilising government, public, private and civil society sectors for a multi-sectoral approach to HIV/AIDS
• Advocating for the effective implementation and development of policy and programmes in relation to the changing and emerging challenges of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
• Developing strong HIV/AIDS community forums in the Western Cape Province
• Promoting communication with other provincial, national and international initiatives that have similar objectives to our own

Our Principles

We believe in:

• The principle of non-discrimination as enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa
• The principle of non-discrimination of persons living with HIV/AIDS, their partners, families and friends
• The inclusion of people with HIV/AIDS in all decision-making processes
• The continuum of quality care and support for persons affected with HIV/AIDS
• The prevention and containment of the epidemic
• The freedom of choice to an holistic approach to treatment
• The development of policy that acknowledges the diversity of culture and tradition within communities
• The reduction of poverty so as to enhance socio-economic development and reduce vulnerability to HIV/AIDS