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The problem

40 million people worldwide have HIV/AIDS, and more than half of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa.  This figure is only an estimate, as many people are too poor to have an AIDS test or are reluctant to be diagnosed, because of the stigma attached to being HIV positive.

There are many ways in which a rich country with high literacy and good infrastructure might be able to respond to an AIDS pandemic, but this is much more difficult for poor countries.

Poverty goes hand in hand with HIV/AIDS.  Poor people are less likely to have access to preventative education or health services. They are also more vulnerable to infection, as a less nutritious diet means a weaker immune system.

Increasing levels of HIV/AIDS can cause greater poverty as the ill and their carers are often unable to work.  This leaves families without an income and deprives of a community of its teachers, health workers or farmers.

 

What are MRDF partners doing?

Some MRDF projects are directed specifically at tackling HIV/AIDS and raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and dealing with the effects of the disease are built into many others.

SALAMA (which means "good health" in the local Emakua language) trains young people in Mozambique to use their creativity to combat the spread of HIV. Actors perform short, educational plays on trains or at football matches. Training in HIV prevention is not only given to community leaders and teachers, but also to young people, so that they can educate their peers.

Community Youth Mobilisation (CYM) supports young people like Precious Chanda in Kabwe District, Zambia.  At 13 years old, she left school to get married.  She has lost one child to an HIV/AIDS related illness and none of her surviving children are healthy. She cannot afford drugs, but receives counselling and care at a nearby clinic.

Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance (CDVTA) in Cameroon helps improve life for elderly people, many of whom have lost children to HIV/AIDS and so are responsible for bringing up their grandchildren.  In Cameroon and other areas, MRDF agricultural partners teach people about HIV/AIDS while they are learning about sustainable farming.

"I'm very happy that Community Youth Mobilisation has come to discuss with us real issues without fear. This project will help my children live longer and to avoid being subjected to early marriages like me - I want other people to learn from my experience, so that they do not pass through what I have gone through." Precious Chanda, aged 16, Zambia

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