Medicine for HIV+ Children in Uganda

In 2014, at just 6 months of age, Patti was in danger of losing her life. She could hardly breathe and eventually became unconscious. She was rushed to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a life threatening AIDS related condition for which she was hospitalized. She was prescribed Cotrimoxazole injection, a very expensive drug, which was out of
stock at the hospital at the time. The parents had to foot the bills of the medication but it was very costly for them.

While hospitalized, Patty was also tested for HIV and found to be infected with it. This was another blow to the already devastated parents. Patty was then referred to our clinic for further management. Thanks to the AFCA donations, she was able to freely access all the prescribed medicines for her health conditions. Her parents were so grateful and were informed that
there was a group of friends with AFCA that supported to provide lifesaving medicines for children with AIDS. Patty got better and is currently thriving well (virally suppressed from the most recent viral load results). She is now 5 years old and enrolled in elementary school this year. Her teacher is so proud of her school performance and joyous character. Her parents are so grateful and they requested Baylor Uganda to send special thanks to AFCA.  The family had completely lost hope and felt their baby couldn’t make it. Currently they are living happily and expecting a very bright future for Patty!

Everyone here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS, and our partners in Africa. thank you for your continued support of this important project.  If you would like to learn even more about this project and others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org. 

This young girl with me is Alecia.  She is now 6 years old and living a normal life, courtesy of the support from AFCA.  This photo was taken at the clinic when she was brought in by her grandmother for review.  Alecia had been sickly and was not thriving, and her grandmother was concerned for her future.  Our team was able to act quickly and prescribe the medicine she needed.

I’m happy to report that no one has left the clinic in the past year with unmet needs for medication.  We have been able to have 100% of the prescriptions for all vital/lifesaving medicine fully served.  Treatments can cost between $40 to $120 for each client.  None of our clients which we support can afford this cost.  Thanks to AFCA, they are able to receive the treatments they so desperately need.

Thank you for supporting our medicine needs through the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.  If you would like to learn more about what they do and meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.

We invite you to visit one of AFCA's other GlobalGiving projects “Let’s Give Girls Training for a Vibrant Future” which is competing for a spot in the GlobalGiving Girl Fund now through March 14th.  You can vote with a donation as small as $10 and make a huge difference in the life of these young women by visiting https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/girls-vibrant-future/

Greetings from Africa!

Christine is 11 years old and used to be sickly, being hospitalized often.  She wasn't responding to the second line protocol and had to be switch to third line treatment.  Thankfully, she was able to access uninterrupted treatment and her complications have been resolved.  Christine is now living a normal life and is enrolled in school.  Her school performance has greatly improved and she wasn't shy to share her picture, some posted here.  She sends a huge thank you to AFCA for helping her to have a more healthy and active life.

Generally, many of our clients had dermatological diseases.  These have now been well managed with help of the American Foundation for Children with AIDS.  In the past year, no one has left the clinic with unmet needs for medication.  We have been able to have 100% of the prescriptions for all vital/lifesaving medicines fully served.  This is quite an accomplishment and we give AFCA all the thanks for supporting us in this way.

The team here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS thanks you for supporting this project and the work we do for  children in Africa.  As you start to make decisions regarding your end of year giving, please keep us in mind so we can continue our good work into 2019 and beyond.  We wish you a new year full of many blessings and as much hope as you have shared with us.  If you would 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. 

Brenda is 24 years old and she was started on ARVs when she was 9 years old.  She had no idea why she taking the medication and only found out she was HIV positive when she was 13 years old.  This affected her physical and mental health because of the many questions she had.  Why her?  Why does she have HIV?  Why didn’t her parents tell her she had HIV?  It took a lot of counselling and peer support to encourage her, but damage had already been done as far as failing in her treatment plan.

Brenda was switched to second line drugs when she was 17 years old, but her health continued to decline quickly.  Her viral load was increasing and Brenda's quality of life was not good.  She was in the hospital more than not!  Brenda was started on a third line of drugs last year in a effort to save her life.  This line includes drugs that Baylor-Uganda just can't cover in their budget.  However, this is where the AFCA intervention comes in by purchasing the third line drugs.

Brenda says the third line drugs have little side effects and have really boosted her immunity.  Her viral load is way down and her counts have improved.  She is currently pursuring her bachrlor's degree and is forever grateful to Baylor-Uganda for caring for her in addition to counseling her even at a time when she had become stubborn and was not properly taking her drugs.  Brenda is also thankful for the American Foundation for Children with AIDS and their donors for supplying the third line drugs.  She would not be here today, striving for her dreams and education, without your support.

Everyone here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS, and our partners in Africa. thank you for your continued support of this important project.  If you would like to learn even more about this project and others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org. 

Rita lost both of her parents to HIV/AIDS and was raised by her uncle.  She tells us, "Life was never easy growing up without parents at a time when I needed all kinds of support from parental to emotional support.  By the grace of God, I have sailed through and made it past my teenage years."  Rita was always falling sick, in and out of hospitals.  Adherence was hard due to the lack of support and her viral load was very high.

When Rita came to our partner, Baylor Uganda, she looked emaciated and couldn't walk well, or even stand upright.  Baylor gave her nutritional support and medication.  With the added support from psychologists and peers, Rita was able to gain weight and her viral load was reduced. 

Rita is now 25 years old, doing great and is a testimony to other peers.  She now volunteers at Baylor Uganda as a peer leader and helps to count pills.  She a wonderful source of encouragement to others!

AFCA recently received this message from Rita, "Thank you so much for the support especially in the area of medicine.  One time I was wheeled into the clinic when I was unable to breath well, and I am told some of the drugs that I was given that saved my life came from AFCA.  Thank you, thank you and THANK YOU!"

Everyone here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS, and our partners in Africa. thank you for your continued support of this important project.  If you would like to learn even more about this project and others, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.