Very few HIV positive mothers from the underprivileged strata of society realize that there is a way to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS to their unborn children. Family Care Nigeria partners with a local NGO in south-western Nigeria that works with mothers who have HIV/AIDS. As part of the program, local area hospitals are approached, offering to test pregnant mothers, and then any HIV-AIDS positives are encouraged to join our support group. Among other things, much needed emotional and physical support is provided for the families and children whose lives have been torn apart by the disease.

Working together for the unborn child: Once an expectant mother is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, they are accompanied for registration, which starts them on the necessary course of treatment to prevent transmission to the child. We have found that most mothers are not even aware of what HIV/AIDS truly is, much less its devastating effect. They tend to return to their villages and are not seen again until they come for anti-natal treatment—which means it is then too late.

A major challenge is that, due to this lack of awareness, an HIV-infected mother won’t realize the dire importance of turning up for the free treatments, not only for their babies’ sake but for theirs as well. To effectively motivate the mothers to show up for treatment, Family Care Nigeria provides “incentive/care parcels” for those who attend. These parcels contain food supplements, vitamins, clothing and household items, etc.

The incentive/care parcels not only serve as an incentive, but the food items contained therein play an important part in boosting the immune system of the mother so that the treatment will prove successful. Each of the now many expectant mothers who attend regularly to receive their treatment is a success story in herself, because each one is passing on the greatest gift within their power to their unborn child—the gift of a HIV/AIDS-free life.

In turn, many of these mothers are then assisted in setting up small businesses (ie small convenience stores). Typically, a two-year lease is acquired on a small shop which is stocked with canned goods, grain and rice, and the women are given business management lessons, coupled with follow up. So for a $700 sponsorship per shop, this enables an AIDs widow to support herself and her children, while receiving treatment, and become financially independent so as to be able to attend further counseling sessions and remain part of a support group.