Health Care for HIV positive children in Zambia

Summary

This project will provide food, medicine, and life saving health care services for one year to 25 HIV positive children in Zambia. As the health of children stabalizes, the better they will perform in school.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

In Zambia over 1 million children have been orphaned - most of them due to HIV/AIDS. Since 70% of the population earns less than $1 per day, it is hard for the community to care for these orphans. Also, children as young as 11 years old are heading households and caring for younger siblings. This project will provide support by (i) providing food, medicines & health care services to the child (ii) training caregivers in HIV/AIDS care so that they can care for other children in the family.

How will this project solve this problem?

This project will provide food, medicines, and life saving health care service to the children so they can go back to school. It will also provide training in HIV/AIDS care to the caregivers so they can take better care of their families.

Potential Long Term Impact

We expect an improvement in the health of the children, an increase in school attendance, better equipped caregivers to care for their families, an increase in the number of women going in for voluntary testing and counseling, and an increased knowledge of prevention of HIV/AIDS. Further, as a result of more people getting tested and starting ARV medication, the spread of infection will be lower, stigma associated with the disease will be less, and quality of life of all families will improve.

Project Message

I take care of my nephew who is an orphan. Joseph suffered from cough, diarrhea, TB as he is HIV positive. Due to the support (mealie meal, beans, medicines, funds for transport, care) he is fine now.
- Janet Chinachabu, age 42 years, Beneficiary of food, medicines, and health care.