Children’s HIV Community Project
HIV-infected children are forgotten by today’s society. 50% of children born with HIV will be dead by their second birthday. 80% will be dead by their fifth birthday.
There are 110,000 HIV-infected children in Uganda. Only 2% of these approximately are getting the life-saving medication (Anti-Retroviral Medication) necessary to keep them alive.
When A–Z Children’s Charity (A–ZCC) discovered this, they decided that a programme would commence immediately to ensure that as many HIV infected children as possible, get access to lifesaving medication, nutrition and proper sanitation.
A–Z Children’s Charity also realised that children living with HIV and their guardians/parents face a lot of problems which include social stigma, ignorance regarding availability of free Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) for children. In addition A–ZCC also recognised that children living with HIV and their families lack support, have inadequate resources to ensure that they access and administer ART correctly, i.e. transport, nutritional foodstuffs, adequate education. There is also lack of skills, knowledge and belief amongst guardians of children living with HIV that they can access healthcare and administer ARVs (anti-retroviral medication) among other factors.
It was against this background that A–Z Children’s Charity recognised that it was just as important to empower these people socially, economically and psychologically in order that they maintain their dignity and regain control of their lives. A–ZCC recognised that poverty was the route cause of most of the challenges faced by these families.
We have now 13 families, with 23 HIV positive children on the programme. Although children are primarily targeted, the whole family/household has to be considered for maximum impact, i.e. all household members had to be taught the importance of hygiene and guardians and older siblings had to taught the importance of adhering to ARVs (anti-retroviral medication) in order for their HIV positive sibling’s health to be improved.
This programme is divided into two. The first part is aimed at improving the health status of the HIV infected child, their guardian and the whole household. The A–Z CC community health worker provides nutrition to the family and also educates regarding the correct way to administer ARVs. The second part is called “Exit Empowerment”. This begins once the HIV infected child and adult is well and the adult is able to administer the ARVs correctly. The adult is provided with loan and business management skills training. A loan is then provided in order to make this adult self-sufficient and better able to support the HIV infected child.
Impact
Although A–ZCC is only helping a small number of HIV infected children and adults, the impact of this programme has been huge. Without our support most of these children and adults would be dead.
This is a life saving programme.
