A Message from Alie Eleveld, Founder of SWAP

The inspiration behind the establishment of Safe Water & AIDS Project (SWAP) was the realization that despite years of working in HIV prevention and treatment, significant barriers remained for people living with HIV to lead healthy, self-sufficient lives. Beyond medical support, it became clear that basic primary health interventions—such as access to safe water, hygiene promotion, social behavior change communication, and economic empowerment—were transformational. These holistic approaches reduced stigma, improved livelihoods, and strengthened and improved health status of entire communities. Over the years, witnessing vulnerable individuals regain their independence and contribute to society has been among the most rewarding milestones of my journey with SWAP.

The transition of leadership began when I stepped down as Country Director in 2017, shifting my focus to partnerships and technical support while ensuring a smooth handover of administrative roles. Now, after 40 years of working in public health across East Africa, I will be leaving SWAP with mixed emotions. However, I am confident that embracing diverse partnerships, contributing to science and strengthening evidence-based programming while transforming lives SWAP will remain essential and relevant key stakeholder in public health.  My greatest hope for the future is achieving financial sustainability, particularly by strengthening our social marketing strategy for life-saving health products and leveraging our state-of-the-art water lab to attract donors and research collaborations. SWAP must also continue adapting to an evolving global landscape, incorporating modern technologies, addressing climate change, and tackling emerging public health challenges. Most importantly, the core values of innovation, strategic thinking, and unwavering commitment to marginalized communities must remain at the heart of SWAP’s mission. With support and dedication of the management and board of directors the next chapter of SWAP can be its most impactful yet. I am forever grateful for all those who have supported us in this journey.