Healthcare: Providing support to the HIV positive community in Eswatini
Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) has the highest rate of HIV/AIDs in the world with 27.3% of Adults in the country living with the virus (WHO). That’s more than 1 in 4 adults across the country living with the illness. With the right medication and lifestyle, the virus doesn’t need to have a negative impact on their lives. However, stigma about the disease and poverty makes this much more difficult.
That’s why Team Hope and its partner are working in Eswatini to provide support to those affected. We’ve helped create support groups of between 10 and 20 people, linked to local clinics, for those who are HIV positive. These groups help people not to feel isolated, they’re a place where they know they won’t face stigma and can find encouragement from those going through the same battles they are.
They’re also a place where the groups can be trained on how to live with the virus and how to care for themselves. An important part of this is staying well-nourished with a diverse diet. This can be difficult in poor communities so these groups are being supported to develop back yard gardens growing vegetables that provide healthy meals for the whole family as well as providing a profit through sales.
Through projects like this Team Hope, its partners and communities are working together to help combat both the health and social impacts of HIV/AIDS.
