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 goral is to
provide a loving and safe environment in order to bring
some humanity back into the lives of children with
HIV.
Health Care Provider
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.
Access to Health Care
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
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.
Meals
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. Ubuntu Africa advises participants on nutrition,
focusing specifically on strategies for people with
limited financial means who are HIV
positive.
Conseling
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.
Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission
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.
Social Worker
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.
Fun & Confidence Boosting Activities
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.
