In the first half of 2009, structured interviews were conducted with 1,366 volunteers providing care-giving in six African countries as part of the “Compensations for Contributions: Creating an enabling policy framework for effective home-base care” Initiative. This action research initiative sought to capture the realities of tens of thousands of grassroots women who struggle every day to provide care and support to people living with HIV and AIDS, orphans, the elderly and chronically ill. This report summarizes the Initiative’s research findings, and provides recommendations for action that are meant to be a starting point for government, civil society and donors to dialogue with home-based caregivers to craft effective policies and mechanisms to support home-based caregivers and effectively address health and development challenges based on the work that caregivers across Africa are already doing in their communities.