HIV / AIDS AWARENESS AND EDUCATION
HIV is prevalent throughout Malawi and continues to spread. Despite the large numbers of people affected, a strong stigma around the disease still exists. Our HIV / AIDS Awareness and Education project aims to alleviate the problem in a number of ways. We have helped to set up HIV support groups which provide a friendly environment that provide a forum for HIV positive people to share and learn how they should maintain a good health. We are also involved in outreach work in local communities and schools working towards raising awareness about the disease and reducing that stigma around those living with it.
| £25 buys | £100 buys |
|---|---|
| One month’s provision of vegetable seeds to improve nutrition | Provision of rice ration once a month to all HIV support group members |
Background
For most people having HIV greatly affects their lives, making them more susceptible to other illnesses and having to cope with side effects from the medication. On top of this it can affect their interaction with the community and the way they are treated by those around them, often because of a lack of understanding of the disease and ways in which it can be transmitted.
We have heard many cases of people being marginalised after being open with those around them about their diagnosis. In some cases friends and family members won’t touch the clothes or plates of those infected or help them when they are sick. This stigma not only makes life difficult for those living with HIV but causes problems on a wider scale.
People often refuse to get tested for HIV because they do not want to live with being labelled with the disease, they would rather go untreated so they can maintain a normal life in society, this leads to unnecessary deaths where people would have gone on to live long lives on ARVs otherwise, it also contributes to the rate at which it is spread.
Education through outreach work is vital in helping to reduce this stigma, improving the lives of those living with HIV and reducing the rate at which it is spread.
How the HIV / AIDS Awareness and Education project helps
The Naturally Africa Foundation started supporting communities affected with HIV and AIDS in 2011. Volunteers help to form groups within neighbouring communities which reach out to those affected with HIV or AIDS. The groups provide emotional support friendship and help form a safe environment in which people affected can help each other and offer first-hand patients experiences to other members. There are two functional group in Ulande and Nkope with 70 active members in total.
In addition to emotional support and advice, the programme also helps practically by providing a ration of rice of 1.5kgs per person once every month which helps the group members provide for themselves and any reliant family members. We are now helping them to create their own food gardens to be able to support themselves better.
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Donations
Donations cover the cost of providing vegetable seeds to the group members and helping them to create their own home allotments to improve nutrition. It also buys the monthly rice provision to all HIV support group members.
