Bluekey Supports Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation at World Aids Day

Bluekey Software Solutions to sponsor Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation World AIDS Day exhibition at the Baxter Theatre

The Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (DTHF) will be celebrating the many successes achieved in HIV prevention, treatment, research and training in South Africa at this years’ World AIDS Day with a week-long exhibition at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town. Leading South African cartoonist and guest speaker, Jonathan Shapiro, will be giving guests an illustrated talk on the journey of HIV/AIDS in South Africa and local photographer, Clive Grey, will be exhibiting inspiring photographs that were taken at the DTHF’s Youth Centre.

The rapid increase in South Africa’s HIV prevalence took place between the mid-nineties and early 2000. This was also the time during which the country underwent its most prevalent political turmoil and media attention was focused on political issues – allowing HIV to become unknowingly widespread throughout communities. In 1985, a State of Emergency was declared in South Africa that would last for five years and it was during this time that the DTHF was founded.

The demand for professional and dedicated medical staff and social workers to help those infected and create HIV awareness led to the DTHF’s affiliation to the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine – where their head office is located. It is here where the DTHF was given the resources and facilities to change the face of HIV in South Africa and help people living with HIV through counselling, research, medication and education.

To accommodate their growth and complement their vision of HIV prevention, treatment and training in the communities of the South Africa, and to meet the needs of grantors and sponsors, DTHF decided to implement a business management solution. This was the start of a fruitful partnership between Bluekey Software Solutions (Bluekey) and the DTHF. Bluekey recently helped the DTHF upgrade their legacy systems with an NGO solution, embedding best-practice, transparency, control, compliance, NGO-specific reporting, and accountability to make the Foundation more efficient and more attractive to potential donors.

Jill Thorne, General Manager of the DTHF adds, “Our projects are funded through grants, sponsorships, and donations, and run through partnerships with public health departments. We need to be able to track and report on where and how each rand is spent. So, the system had to have the capability to support our high standards of corporate governance and compliance requirements. A welcome side-effect of more streamlined financial management would be faster, less complicated and less costly audits.”

After helping the DTHF increase focus on what they do best – saving lives – Bluekey is helping others in the NGO community increase their compliance, credibility and controls. By taking care of their business management and accounting Bluekey enables them to focus on their mandates without having to be concerned whether their current systems can support their vision.