 | |
|
|
Ubuntu Africa's pilot project is an HIV care center for children aged 7-18 and young pregnant women in Khayelitsha, South Africa. The HIV care center offers an onsite health care, nutritious meals, HIV education and medication compliance programs, private and group counseling, support to pregnant teens (to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission), and transportation to and from the healthcare clinics. Additionally, the center offers confidence building activities such as yoga, art and outdoor excursions. The services that make up this comprehensive HIV care program are aimed at improving the health and well-being of these children. Our primary goal is to provide a loving and safe environment in order to bring some humanity back into the lives of children with HIV.
A registered nurse is onsite to monitor the health of the children and treat minor infections before they pose a greater risk to their wellbeing. When necessary (in cases where participants are too ill to get to the center) UBA's healthcare staff goes to participants' homes to provide care. In-home HIV care specialists visit children and their families at their homes weekly to monitor their health, ensure medications are being taken properly, and offer care and support during illnesses.
Transportation to and from local clinics, as well as to and from the HIV care center allows participants to have greater access to healthcare. The center also provides assistance accessing antiretroviral (ARV) medication, navigating the healthcare system and completing necessary paperwork.
HIV education and ARV drug compliance programs empower these young people with the skills and knowledge they need to better care for themselves. In addition, information sessions about the disease and workshops on how best to care for young people who are HIV positive, are available to the greater Khayelitsha community, specifically to parents and caregivers of the participants.
Nutritious meals that best support participants' immune systems and complement the medications that they are taking are provided at the center. For some children this is the only full meal they will eat during the entire day. UBA advises participants on nutrition, focusing specifically on strategies for people with limited financial means who are HIV positive.
In order to address the emotional and physical impacts of HIV/AIDS, both private and group counseling is available to participants at the center. This provides these children with a safe environment where support is available to encourage them to overcome challenges that arise in their lives not only due to their disease, but also as a consequence of being a young person living in Khayelitsha. In addition the parents of the participants also receive counseling from UBA and attend parent support group meetings at the center.
Transmission of HIV from mother to child is largely preventable with proper care. Thus, the center provides ongoing prenatal support to young pregnant mothers to prevent the transmission of the virus to their children. Since HIV is also transmitted through breast milk, the HIV care center supplies baby formula (an expense which is hard for many people in Khayelitsha to afford) for these mothers so they are able to feed their child adequately and are not compelled to breast-feed their children.
The children who participate in UBA's program come from a variety of situations- many have only one parent or no living parents at all and some have been victims of abuse or neglect. UBA's social worker ensures that every child lives in a safe environment, attends school, receives government grants that they are eligible for, and that their needs are being provided for at home. The social worker works closely with each child and their families/caregivers to find solutions to any problems related to the child's overall wellbeing and closely monitors the child's progress.
The center has enrichment activities including life skills training, art projects, yoga, surfing lessons, fitness, and other activities aimed at raising self-esteem and empowering the participants to care for themselves.
|
|
