HIV–AIDS WORK
HIV–AIDS Support and Care Programme
Despite anti-retroviral treatment being available, many people come to the attention of doctors at late stages of the AIDS illness. This is partly due to stigma and the fear of job loss if they are found to be HIV positive. Others, with a co-infection of TB, face difficulties in managing their medicines and accessing nutritional food vital for stabilising their health. Based around the needs of a family the programme ensures a level of weekly support to help families stay together, gain income, obtain food and medicine, counselling and planning for the future. Some recover and are able to work. However for those who reach a terminal stage, a high level of home care is offered and bereavement support after death. The aim is to prolong the health and wellbeing of families, and reduce future HIV transmissions.
The programme is run by groups of women in 45 locations across two provinces trained to offer home based care, sometimes linked to professional nursing support or hospice, for vulnerable people affected by HIV and AIDS.
Case Study – Mayflower Home Based Care
In South Africa, as in many developing countries, there are not enough hospital beds available for all those needing them, so care within the home is the only option. Volunteer Carers provide a range of services including: food parcels, hospital transport, medicine, bedding and emotional support. In home based care programmes such as that in Mayflower, carers visit daily or weekly people who have no one to look after their needs, ensuring they are fed and bathed, given emotional support and counselling, and try to bring dignity to the most difficult situations. Where there are adult family members, the volunteers train them in patient care and ensure food and relevant grants are coming into the house.
Children are referred to one of the pre-school projects to get the special care and support they need. Over 160 volunteers are currently assisted through the Trust with stipends and transport, emergency supplies and food parcels, reaching around 2000 people each week. A special hardship fund helps with funeral costs for the most destitute or children left alone, to alleviate the distress at these times.
- Any donation to the hardship fund makes hope possible
- To give a home based carer the supplies and bus fare to support 5 families each month costs £100
HIV–AIDS Prevention ProgrammeAimed primarily at young people, this programme educates and challenges young people to understand the risks of HIV transmission, to overcome stigma, and to regularly test for HIV. Testing is the key to both preventing future infection and obtaining help early if the HIV virus is present. Testing regularly means you know when to begin treatment, and encourage safer sex among people who are HIV negative.
Partners
- Highveld Board of Social Responsibility (HABSR)
- Themba Interactive
Case Study – Themba
Themba uses interactive theatre to enable youngsters to ‘practice how’ in very positive and energising drama sessions. Reaching children in schools, colleges, faith groups, prisons and youth organisations across South Africa, over 70,000 young people have had the chance to engage with the Themba programme, exploring issues still often not talked about at home, and to ask questions and raise concerns, to help them negotiate safer futures. Building confidence is key to the programme. Over 500 prison inmates have been trained as peer educators, who then transfer their skills and knowledge to their own communities.
This method of helping youth understand the risks and how to manage them has been the subject of awards in South Africa for social innovation, and stringent evaluation which proves the method actually helps change behaviour. BST has supported Themba since its inception in 2002. To enable 10 Themba actor educators to be trained costs £2500. Every year Themba aims to train 40 new educators to reach more young people in schools.