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The Novartis Foundation for Sustainable ...

Werhane, Patricia ...

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The Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development: Tackling HIV/AIDS and Poverty in South Africa (C)

Werhane, Patricia H.; Mead, Jenny

E-0305 | Published February 27, 2008 | 7 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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The Novartis Foundation and various donors undertook a risk-assessment of how REPSSI could be brought to other African countries both legally and effectively. The original initiative had to be transformed into an organization, and a host country had to be chosen to implement the program. South Africa, where the HIV/AIDS problem and its effects on children seemed the most severe, was chosen. By 2006, REPSSI, through its various organizations and institutions throughout sub-Saharan Africa, had touched the lives of more than 300,000 orphans. It had worked at various times with more than 140 aid organizations. The collaboration had, in particular, been extremely successful in "transferring best practices in labor management, leadership, and financial skills." Many of the services businesses and universities provided the NGO were pro bono. REPSSI continued to grow as 2006 came to a close and, with management stretched thin, those involved with REPSSI looked once again to Novartis's corporate human resources as well as the foundation itself to guide them to greater growth. By 2007, the project was financially secured for another three years by the Swedish Development Agency (SIDA), the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, and other donors. The Novartis Foundation's goal was to make REPSSI the "implementing agency of choice" for such programs and securing long-term financing through expanding the donor base.