Yelula/U-khâi, which supports community responses to HIV and AIDS, works through 5 distinct approaches. The aim of using these approaches is to make the project as relevant and appropriate to those who are affected by HIV and AIDS as possible.

1. Taking things personally…
Personalisation forms the cornerstone of all Yelula/U-khâi’s work with communities. We are all living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. The Yelula/U-khâi ‘Inside-out Approach’ helps us to explore and assess the impact of HIV and AIDS on our own lives.

2. Seeing the bigger picture
A holistic approach is an approach that recognises the diverse impact of the HIV and AIDS epidemic and responds accordingly.

3. Getting down to grass roots
A bottom-up approach acknowledges and uses the structures already existing in the communities. This means listening to the reality of what is happening on the ground and disseminating this information upwards to organisations and across the wider community.

4. Working WITH people, not for them
A participatory approach incorporates meaningful involvement of affected people including PLWHA, orphans and other vulnerable children, caregivers and the Government. It also emphasises face to face interaction and makes resources available to people in their communities.

5. Being at the right place at the right time
A responsive and accessible approach focuses on responding to the actual needs in the communities instead of imposing outside ideas or externally designed solutions. A strong involvement at community level enables the project to identify these needs and respond to them in a flexible manner.