Life changing projects for people living with AIDS

American Embassy in Zimbabwe has released funds for empowering people living with HIV and AIDS with various projects including poultry, nutrition gardening and canteens.

The projects are being spearheaded by National Aids Council (NAC) and Zimbabwe National Council of Young Men’s Christian Association (ZNCYMCA).

Community anti-retroviral refill groups from Chakari, Patchway, Ordoff, Venice and Donain in Mashonaland West province are among the beneficiaries.

Among the groups there is one with adolescents living with HIV based at Patchway doing poultry project and a sex workers group owning a restaurant.

Speaking to the press, ZNCYMCA Kadoma branch coordinator Mr Francis Lembani said his organisation was funding the projects while NAC was assisting them to identify community antiretroviral refill groups.

“Beneficiaries on poultry production received six 50 kg bags of mash, 100 broiler chicks, stress pack, water containers, plastics, cement, mash wire and doors. The chicks are now two week old and the project is promising tremendous results,” he said.

“The other group opened a canteen and we gave them enough funds to purchase their utensils and starter up material while those into nutritional gardening get seeds and seedlings.”

Mhondoro-Ngezi, NAC district coordinator Mr Vakai Matutu said the programme was targeting already existing organised community antiretroviral refill groups.

“These people whom we targeted already have commonalities as they are all on HIV treatment, also accessing medicines from same facilities and live in the same community. This project is the first of its kind, however depending on its success we can scale it up with other communities especially with those living with HIV.

“The groups were initially organised for easy access to medication which they were doing, but surviving was quite a challenge hence these projects will empower them economically,” he said.

The projects are being funded through a grant from the office of United States of America Ambassador to Zimbabwe.