Meet our member
Who we are
EGPAF is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing pediatric HIV infection and eliminating pediatric AIDS through research, advocacy and prevention, care and treatment programs. We were founded in 1988 and support activities in 19 countries. EGPAF has been a LINGOs member since 2009.
What learning means to us
Learning is one of the strongest ways we support our staff as well as push the organization forward. To run effective programs, we know we must stay flexible to donor demands and adaptable to the changing, fast-paced world. So for us, supporting learning for staff is critical to maintaining our success. On a more individual level, we emphasize the growth of our staff and help them get to the next level. This boosts morale, increases productivity and aids staff retention. Ultimately, through encouraging the growth and development of our people, we work more effectively towards our mission of ending pediatric AIDS.
How we learn at EGPAF
We have an online learning portal, ARIEL Academy (named after our Founder’s daughter, Ariel), which has been a huge success. All new staff are immediately engaged with the learning platform and made aware of EGPAF’s emphasis on learning. We found that this initial introduction encourages staff to return to the site when needs arise.
We also hold numerous on-site training sessions led by internal and external 
facilitators. A recent success was the initiation of a monthly Manager Education Series, where we bring managers together to discuss specific topics related to supervising. We start each session with a quick presentation by HR followed by discussions and practice. Managers at all levels attend the sessions and share their ideas and experiences, which strengthens the learning.
In the field, our HR Partners hold brown bag lunches where staff meet in a conference room and participate in an e-learning course together. This has been an effective solution to technology limitations, as well as encouraging discussion and growth amongst staff.
The difference learning has made
Learning has made a huge difference to so many of our staff, both personally and professionally. Here’s one member of staff’s experience, in her own words:
“My name is Crescencia Mafuko and I joined EGPAF as a HR Officer, based in Zimbabwe. After 
a year I was promoted to Manager and I attribute this promotion to the continuous learning and development I received. As a Manager I then had to sharpen my skills further, be more strategic and think outside the box. I made a commitment to continuous learning and EGPAF gave me all the support I needed to excel in my role.
“I put my success down to the fact that EGPAF cares about its employees and LINGOs makes it easy to learn at a convenient time and place. I feel confident that I can handle any challenging situation and my supervisor also has faith in me. My personal goal is to complete at least three courses that enhance my skills each year. Professionally I’m now supporting the development of my entire country office by conducting group learning sessions. We cover topics like ‘Diversity’ and ‘Effective Communication’ in a fun, interactive way and most of my colleagues are really benefitting from this.”
Our future learning plans
We have a very solid basis of learning at EGPAF with our onsite training and a successful Learning Management System (LMS) so this year we are focusing on taking things to the next level. We now have a designated Director of Learning and Development who will collaborate with key stakeholders to develop customized individual, team and workforce development programs. We are very pleased that our strong history of learning has resulted in buy-in and trust from staff so we are planning more strategic initiatives, such as succession planning and leadership development programs.
Our advice to you
The reality for many of us is that we work to the demands of our donors, which requires us to constantly change our approach and remain flexible. The only way we can do this is by supporting our staff. To stay innovative and continually improve your organizations you must continue to push and develop your staff. Learning is truly a necessity in today’s world.
Leigh Jenkins,
Senior HR Coordinator, EGPAF