For one to make a fair assessment of TASO's achievements in the past two decades of its existence, its important that one looks at its founding objectives, Mission, Vision and the objectives of its subsequent Strategic Plans. These achievements should be seen at both Outputs and Outcomes level.

Below are some of the TASO achievements based on the above mentioned parameters in the last 21 years:

• A cumulative number of over 200,000 and their family members have gone through TASO's care since inception.

• A total number of over 23,000 people (including 1000 children) have received anti-retroviral Therapy from TASO's eleven service centers.

• A total number of 65,162 household members have been reached through Home-based HIV Counseling and Testing (HBHCT).

• Over 1500 Community AIDS Support Agents (CASA), a group of HIV positive people who counsel and sensitize their peers on the importance of ART adherence have been trained.

• Has expanded its services from Kampala where it was originally founded to eleven other districts across the country.

• Has contributed significantly to the reduction of stigma in Uganda.

• TASO has trained over 15,000 people in HIV/AIDS Management both locally and internationally.

• Has mobilized over 4000 community Volunteers in the HIV/AIDS response in Uganda.

• Has brought to the fore issues highlighting and advocating for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and therefore including them at all the national agenda and forums. Through it's vision of "A world without AIDS", TASO continues to this day to be the leading advocate for both the affected and infected from the local communities through national to international conventions.
  
• TASO has been at the forefront of advocating for equal rights, shared responsibilities and equal opportunities. Through its programmatic activities TASO has encouraged People living with HIV/AIDS to be responsible and the communities to support the needs of both affected and infected. TASO continues to advocate for complete protection from stigma and discrimination regardless of ones sero-status.
  
• TASO has attracted, maintained and sustained goodwill at all societal levels towards the fight against HIV/AIDS.
  
• TASO has been leading the efforts in capacity building and training in a range of HIV/AIDS provision services, nationally, regionally and internationally. Over the years TASO has trained individuals, communities and organizations using its extensive field experience and curricula developed through participative approaches and direct partnership with people living with HIV/AIDS who are the direct beneficiaries of all the HIV/AIDS services. Today TASO has trained over 15, 000 individuals both locally and internationally since inception as mentioned above.

• TASO has successfully helped to establish and nurtured other organization including; UNASO (Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organization), KASO (Kumi AIDS Support Organization, POMU (Positive Men Union), AIC (AIDS Information Centre), NACWOLA (National Community for Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda), among others.
  
• TASO has successfully pioneered the Greater Involvement of People with AIDS (GIPA) principles and has led the way in its implementation at all organizational levels.

LESSONS LEARNT

 Over the years, TASO has learnt lessons regarding the fight against HIV/AIDS. Some of the lessons include the following;

• Political good will and support is critical to success in HIV/AIDS services. It is therefore important to cultivate and improve this asset particularly at district levels.
  
• The quality of PLWHA can be greatly improved even without the ARVs: Integrated and timely management of opportunistic infections coupled with good counselling, nutritional support and a supportive environment care can do wonders. This has been TASO's key approach until other interventions like ARVs became available.
  
• PLWHAs should be taken as senior partners in the fight against AIDS. They are very knowledgeable about their condition and can best determine what is good for them. Because of this TASO has strongly approved the GIPA philosophy, and as a matter of fact, TASO was implementing GIPA long before the concept and acronym was coined.
  
• The biggest worries of PLWHA relate to their children. If they get assurance of support to their children a heavy load is lifted off their minds. It is therefore important to provide OVC services as they help both the child and the client.
  
• Communities are willing to be active participants in the fight against HIV/AIDS. They mainly need to be equipped with the basic skills and a little motivation and they the can do a lot for themselves. It is important to involve the communities in the design and implementation of community based projects; this enhances participation and community ownership of the programme and helps them to become AIDS competent.
  
• Given the current state of the epidemic, no one organisation or project/programme can hope to solve all the problems on its own. This makes two issues critical; a) building the capacity of other organisations to do similar work, in this way, more people can be reached. b) Networking and collaborating with other agencies is very important, this makes it possible to share the various capacities that exist in the various organisations. These have been TASO's strategies for a long time.
  
• A behaviour change evolves over time. There is need for sustained efforts in order to bring about lasting behaviour change.
  
• HIV/AIDS and Poverty are closely intertwined; it is therefore important to develop strategies that tackle both in order to achieve real success.
  
• HIV/AIDS work is very stressing; especially so for frontline staff. It is therefore important for organisations to arrange for care of carers programmes in order to avoid burnout and maintain staff morale.

FACTORS THAT HAVE FACILITATED TASO'S SUCCESS

There are a number of factors that have worked in TASO's favour and facilitated its success. Some of these factors are;