Forward-looking Review: World Vision's Approaches to Integrating Microenterprise Development and HIV/AIDS Response

This review attempts to identify the best ways forward for the work of World Vision (WV) and its microfinance institution (MFI) affiliates in the integration of Microenterprise Development (MED) and HIV/AIDS response, in preparation for scaling up approaches that have proven effective and efficient. The review aims to:

• Guide future efforts by WV-MFI staff, HIV/AIDS-focused staff, national directors, etc. to develop high quality programming integrating MED and HIV/AIDS response;
• Focus attention on how integration can benefit children (in particular children orphaned and otherwise made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS), their families and communities.

The review:

• Discusses the impact of HIV/AIDS on children, their families and communities;
• Describes integrated HIV/MED pilot projects;
• Identifies key lessons learned regarding:
  • HIV/AIDS education and MFIs;
  • Parallel versus unified approaches to integrating credit with HIV/AIDS education;
  • The 'Accumulating Savings and Credit Associations' (ACSA) approach - this methodology reaches more deeply into the survival economy than does institutional lending.

The review makes location-specific recommendations for optimizing effective integration of MED and HIV/AIDS response.

It concludes by stressing the need to:

• Harmonize goals, objectives and indicators with the baseline study design;
• Assist integrated programs with an action research agenda;
• Strengthen the use of performance indicators;
• Analyze MFI cost effectiveness and manage the costs of integration.