Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program

Project No: F36

Project Manager:
L. Rachel Aird

Contact Info:
familyafrica@mweb.co.za
www.familyafrica.com

Donate To This Project Back to South Africa

Factoids: HIV transmission in South Africa is predominantly through heterosexual sex, with mother-to-child transmission being the other main infection route. The national transmission rate of HIV from mother to child is approximately 11%.

In townships where Family Africa works, 30- 60% of pregnant women are HIV+.

The disempowerment of South African women – revealed by such high levels of rape and domestic abuse – is a prime factor in the country’s HIV epidemic.

Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program

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Project Manager: L. Rachel Aird

 

Rachel Aird has worked extensively with HIV/AIDS awareness programs in South Africa from 2002. In January 2005 she established a TB/HIV support group Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program which involves skills training and development programmes, such as literacy, knitting, sewing, and food gardening, as well as ongoing HIV/AIDS education. Nutritious food, warm clothing and blankets are supplied, as well as spiritual support. To date over 33,000 students have benefited from their HIV/AIDS School programmes.

The Mother’s  Support and Counseling Centre for HIV positive mothers and their babies includes a free Day Care Centre for the children of HIV positive women, as well as AIDS orphans. Mothers and young women receive instruction so that their babies have an opportunity to be born HIV negative. Family Africa also runs a full time, free-of-charge Counseling and Support Centre for these women and provide free day care for their preschool children and AIDS orphans.  At present 55 mothers and 48 children benefit from this program.

Family Africa visits Primary and Secondary Schools with their interactive programmes, using music and drama to educate the students regarding HIV/AIDS.  They also take the programme on the road around South Africa and into the surrounding countries of Namibia and Zambia.

 

Real Life Story — A Second Life for Jerida — After a medical test Jerida real­ized she was HIV positive  ...Read full story

Johannesburg, South Africa





Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program - AIDS Education

Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program has an established TB/HIV support group which imparts education, skills training and development programs.

Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program - Free Day Care Center

The Mother’s Support and Counseling Centre for HIV positive mothers and their babies includes a free Day Care Centre for the children of HIV positive women. Family Africa provides free day care and school lunch for preschool children and AIDS orphans. At present 48 children benefit from this program.

Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program - Other Activities

Family Africa HIV/AIDS Program involves skills training and development programmes, such as literacy, knitting, sewing, and food gardening, as well as ongoing HIV/AIDS education.

HIV/AIDS Education for Primary Age Children

The STEPS program is a character-building series developed to help children build strong character based on sound values. As part of the series, we were asked to create a booklet addressing the stigma attached to HIV+/AIDS children.