For the past 7 years, ICAD has implemented a twinning program which promotes the development of HIV/AIDS partnerships between Canadian and overseas organizations. Our involvement began with the  publication of Beyond Our Borders, a step-by-step guide which introduces community-based HIV/AIDS organizations to the twinning model.  The guide outlines the benefits of twinning, describes the characteristics of successful twinning programs, discusses some of the intercultural issues that can arise in international twinning projects, and explains how to make twinning happen.

A study carried out by ICAD in June 2003, The Benefits of International Twinning Projects for HIV/AIDS Programming in Canada and for Canadian Organization, reports the lessons learned by 20 ASOs who participated in twinning projects with organizations working in HIV/AIDS in developing countries. The report provides convincing arguments as to how ASO programming in Canada has been improved by exposure to international twinning opportunities.

From 2002 until 2008, ICAD and the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) jointly implemented two phases of a twinning program which encouraged cost-effective, innovative, inter-sectoral knowledge-based approaches to HIV/AIDS. The two phases were funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and involved 40 separate twinning partnerships between Canadian and overseas organizations. The funding/partnership varied from $75,000 to $100,000. Several twinning resources were developed during the program including a Sample Partnership Agreement and a Twinning Evaluation Framework.

For a copy of the above-mentioned factsheets, please click on the  ICAD Resources section, below.