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The concept of twinning has been around for a long time, though the terminology is relatively new. In its broadest sense, twinning refers to the partnering of two entities with shared characteristics to achieve a common goal.

Twinning is Flexible. It encompasses as many modes of learning and ideas to be shared as there are organizations with skills to learn and solutions to share.

Twinning is Collaborative. It builds human and institutional capacity through a process of joint action rather than a one-way transfer of information and resources.

Twinning Gets Results. It multiplies opportunities for problem solving by helping organizations disseminate best practices and replicate successes.

The HIV/AIDS Twinning Center Model

The Twinning Center’s partnership model draws on more than 15 years of proven success of the American International Health Alliance in creating and managing international twinning partnerships in healthcare.

Key elements of the Twinning Center partnership methodology are:

• Voluntarism, with partners on both sides making significant in-kind contributions of staff time, materials, and financial resources.
• Institution-based partners who commit the resources of entire organizations or institutions, including contributions of the time, knowledge, and clinical expertise of their individual members.
• Peer-to-peer collaborative relationships in which partners work together as equals, finding mutually beneficial solutions and opportunities to establish trust and build a multidisciplinary team.
• Professional exchanges and mentoring for transferring and sharing knowledge, ideas, and skills.
• Non-prescriptive, demand- and process-driven partnerships that empower partners on both sides by giving them ownership of the programs being jointly created, thereby encouraging sustainable capacity development.

Partners may include hospitals, clinics, universities, professional associations of healthcare workers, or community organizations, including faith-based organizations.

For an overview of the HIV/AIDS Twinning Center Program (PDF), please click here.