Goats for children affected by HIV/AIDS

It's always exciting to open an email with an update from one of our partners.  Even better when it includes a photograph like this that includes two new baby goats!

Let me introduce you to Jill and her family.  There are ten people in Jill's home.  Jill tells us that the beginning of her life was not easy, the situation was difficult with a limited income and little access to food.  This project greatly changed her life when our partner chose to support her family in this project.  She was given three goats, and they have reproduced.  Jill and her family was taught how to grow their own food, yielding a big harvest from a potato garden.  They were able to consume some and sell the rest.

Jill and her family look forward to gifting the next household because the entire community needs to be transformed. They greatly appreciate the American Foundation for Children with AIDS for all that it has done to change their situation, now they can stand independently on their own.

Please know that your generosity is truly making a difference in Jill's life, and many others in our program.  With our partners on the ground, the children and their families receive the support and monitoring they need to make this a very successful project.  We are changing lives day after day.  Jill and her family feel your love, and so do we at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.

We're counting our blessings this holiday season at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.  It's been a great year and we have some incredible projects lined up for 2017.  All of them with the intention of helping HIV+ children and their caregivers break the cycle of poverty!

In Uganda, a second set of orphaned families is being trained in livestock care and gardening.  The trainings involved different methodologies including but not limited to; Questions and answers, sharing of testimonies, self-reflections and interactions, role plays, lectures and demonstrations, field practicum among others. Both in class and field sessions were carried out on the different crops and animal both practical and theories.  In addition, field practicums were conducted to have hands-on knowledge in the identification of different diseases and pests for crops and animal diseases, how to treat and manage them locally, to practice crop spacing and animals housing construction and hygiene.  Your donations have purchased these goats and seeds for families in Uganda, and improved a child's potential in life.

Malnutrition is a serious and widespread problem in Uganda, but you have joined the fight through the gift of goats and gardens. So simple, yet SO powerful!  Your generosity is making a difference in lives of these children and their caregivers.  Thank you for supporting our work!  As you make your end of the year giving decisions, please keep us in mind so we can continue helping children in 2017 and beyond.  We wish you the best year ever, full of every blessing and happiness imaginable, knowing you are a hope-giver.   If you'd like to learn even more about what we do or how you can meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org. 

Gertrude is a widow who, in addition to taking care of her own child’s needs, is faced with the burden of four additional children.  She doesn’t have any formal employment but manages to support them through her daily garden work in addition to doing it takes to make ends meet that particular day. 

Life is difficult for Gertrude and her family.  Her daily struggles are something most people will never experience or understand.  Gertrude prays for an education for the children and to be a part of our sustainable livelihood program.  We need YOU so we can help Gertrude and the children in her care.  Your generosity is needed to boost this program so we can purchase additional goats and seeds for orphaned families.  You have the power to improve these lives with the simple click of a mouse to donate even a small amount to this program.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more about this program or others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@afcaids.org.

Christine and her husband, Simon, are both HIV positive. They have 7 children and 5 are enrolled in a nearby primary school.  Their main occupation is peasant farming and sometimes hiring out labor in other people’s farms.  Taking care of this big family, including meeting their education as well medical bills, hasn’t been easy. They struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis since there isn’t any stable source of income.

Christine and Simon send their thanks and prayers for choosing them to benefit from this program and they promise to work hard to bring up their family.  Your support of our livestock and agricultural project means so much to this dear family.  You have made it possible for them to start making a life for themselves and to send their children to school.  It may seem like just a start, but it's an incredible blessing for Christine and Simon.

Thank you for your support as we help families like this one and so many more.  You give them hope!  If you have questions or are interested in learning more about this program or others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@afcaids.org.

Our partner in Uganda recently held a training session for families on improved agricultural productivity and animals to improve household incomes and address malnutrition. The trainings included a question and answer time, sharing of testimonies, self-reflections and interactions, role plays, lectures and demonstrations. Both in class and field sessions were carried out on the different crops and animal both practical and theories.

Field trainings were conducted to have hands-on knowledge in the identification of different diseases and pests for crops and animal diseases, how to treat and manage them locally, to practice crop spacing and animals housing construction and hygiene.

Thanks to your donations to support this livestock and agricultural project, these families are learning how to properly care for their crops and their animals.  Please know that your generosity is truly making a difference in the lives of these families and many more in our program. With our partners on the ground, the children and their families receive the support and monitoring they need to make this a very successful project. We are changing lives day after day. These families feel your love, and so do we at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.

If you have questions or are interested in learning more about this program or others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@afcaids.org.