Legatum focuses upon funding projects that address major health issues in the developing world such as HIV/AIDS, clean water and Neglected Tropical Diseases ("NTDs"). In the past year alone, Legatum has invested in 103 projects that addressed education, prevention and care relating to HIV and AIDS.
One grant in Eastern Africa brought together HIV/AIDS implementers and the Burundi government to positively impact the lives of 46,000 people. Another example of Legatum's commitment for improving health is a USD 9 million investment to eradicate all NTDs in Rwanda and Burundi. NTDs have a profoundly debilitating effect on communities, education and employment levels, and general productivity. An estimated 600 million people are infected in sub-Saharan Africa alone. Yet NTDs are readily curable and preventable for only USD 0.50 per person
Burundi HIV/AIDS
Not long ago, Rutana province in Burundi was barely mentioned in the local news. Neither the government nor the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) bothered to inform Rotana residents of HIV prevention, Voluntary Counseling and Testing services (VCT) or free Anti Retro Viral (ARV) drugs for HIV positive residents.
However, in 2007, 10 Burundian organisations were selected by Legatum to run a three year initiative that would focus on HIV/AIDS prevention through information, education and economic empowerment of households that had been affected by the pandemic.
Covering six districts, the programmes included renting land for associations to engage in large scale production of rice and potatoes, peanuts, pineapples, maize and beans for consumption, and sale of surplus harvests. As a result, the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Burundi is buying some of these farm products directly from these groups, providing them with a ready market and sufficient income for group members which will enable the purchase of additional seeds for replanting the next season. This $1.5 million investment over three years is expected to change the lives of at least 70,000 people in Rutana province. Access to HIV prevention education, VCT services and ARV drugs will improve the quality of life for HIV positive residents and reduce the number of orphaned children who are left in charge of their siblings and households.