I started my work with USAID in February 2002, when USAID first received earmarked HIV funding. I served as an AOR for our first Condom Social Marketing Program, which focused on capacity building, program management, monitoring and evaluation, and financial management. Together with CDC, we supported the first-ever HIV surveillance surveys in Kazakhstan by AIDS centers and community organizations, which provided feedback that allowed the program to be focused on the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
I think the biggest change that PEPFAR made over the years was making annual planning a collaborative process with country stakeholders, ministries of health and national HIV programs, where we discuss our funding, targets, results, and future plans.
My greatest achievement working at USAID and in PEPFAR is witnessing the growth of civil society and community-based organizations which have become not only service providers, but strong advocates for political change. These advocacy efforts resulted in the Government of Kazakhstan finding alternate ways to purchase anti-retroviral treatment (ART), cutting costs in half and doubling the number of people living with HIV on ART.
My fondest memory of work was meeting some of the strongest, most caring, and most beautiful people from community organizations, ministries of health, and national HIV programs. I am also grateful for the support and collegiality of my colleagues at USAID.
Khorlan Izmailova is the former HIV Team Lead in Democracy and Health Office at USAID Kazakhstan
