World AIDS Day
Dec 01, 2014
Shortly after the birth of her only child in 1993, Rose Ruhweza was diagnosed with HIV. Six weeks later, her son received the same diagnosis
Baylor saving children, parents
Shortly after the birth of her only child in 1993, Rose Ruhweza was diagnosed with HIV. Six weeks later, her son received the same diagnosis. Those were the dark days of HIV and the fate of babies born with the virus was sealed for many did not live beyond their second birthdays. But those storms are over. Today’s HIV+ couples are the fortunate ones to have lived until potent antiretroviral medications became available
Mildmay helps peasants live positively
Perched atop the summit of Wabiyinja hills in Wakise sub- county in Bukiwe District,Naikende's new brick-walled pernanet house defines the skyline of the village
Mildmay supports peasants to live positive life
From Page 34
“As if that was not enough they went ahead and gave us a goat to enable us get some source of income. This support has greatly raised my hope and the entire family and I am glad that the seeds have done well and we have already harvested the beans and the maize is already ripe.
Naikendi the activist
Naikendi has been living with HIV for the last 18 years and she is not ashamed to reveal her status. She is using her experience to create awareness and sensitise her community on living positively. “I have testimonies in this (Wabiyinja) village of children whose parents had lost hope and they know it. I used to collect sick children hidden in their homes in the village and take them to the hospital. I took care of them until a time when they would recover and the parents would come for them. With HIV treatment any person living with HIV can live longer,” she says.
What people say
Henry Kiyumba, a community development officer is grateful to Mildmay for the support rendered to Naikendi. “This whole area has only temporary structures which are in a poor state. The soil is not good-it is clay. I envision that the children of this family will grow up with healthy minds. In the past we wild animals would get into makeshift structures and attack people. However, I am positive that no animal can now enter Naikendi’shouse” Jumba Paul, the LCIII vice chairperson LCIII says this is a big project for the area.
He advises Naikendi to add value to what she has been given by cleaning up and taking good care of the place. Grace Kabunga, the Behavioural and Psychosocial Services manager, Mildmay Uganda says since all the health facilities in the districts don’t have psychosocial support, Mildmay Uganda provides psychosocial care using a family centred approach. “After testing for HIV, we explore other avenues like the home of the client; do they have decent shelter, do they have food to eat, are thechildren going to school? Where we cannot support entirely, we partner with Community Based Organisations (CBOs) through the OVC circle model to ensure that our OVC households access comprehensive service packages. The circle model is where we identify all CBOs and their services in a given community and are able to refer and link our clients to these CBOs so that they are able to get comprehensive packages for improved livelihoods,” he says.
Mildmay Uganda spreading wings
Overtime, Mildmay Uganda has diversified its services from specialised HIV care to delivery of comprehensive health care interventions including Treatment Services; Health Systems Strengthening; Other complementary social services; health training and education; and research. Currently, Mildmay Uganda supports over 80,000 people living with HIV at its main site in Lweza and in 16 districts of Central Uganda with support from PEPFAR through the Centre for Disease Control.
Community Health Alliance disarming HIV in Uganda
When Rose Nakimera, a resident of Kooki sub-county, Rakai district lost her husband in 2004, she started losing weight a few months later. At that time she knew her husband had died of malaria. Not until her illness worsened that she started having a running stomach and rapidly losing weight that her family members took her to hospital.
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Community Health Alliance Uganda (CHAU)
Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)
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The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
