Nutrition and peer support for HIV+ patients

The Nutrition and Peer Support program has provided a connection between patients living far away from clinics and their access to specialized HIV care. GAIA Vaccine Foundation’s HIV clinic is based in a community clinic, and is growing to serve an increasing number of impoverished patients who live in this small village on the outskirts of Mali’s capital, Bamako. 

Through this program, GAIA Vaccine Foundation offers care and education to remote patients seeking aid. The program’s overall initiative is to reduce the stigma surrounding HIV, as well as improving HIV prevention in the village. 

The Nutrition and Peer Support Program supports food made by patients themselves, with the goal of reducing the stigma surrounding HIV positive individuals. This meal is then shared between staff, patients, and family to promote social interaction, reduce stigma and improve nutritional status. Our program would not be possible without your continued donations- $10 would provide one weekly meal for one HIV+ patient, $30 would provide one weekly meal for one mother and three children, and with a donation of $100, you would be providing a weekly meal for over 25 HIV+ patients. We thank you for your continued generosity.

Community bonding and healthy eating are vital components for maintaining mental and
physical wellness. This is even more important for those who are immunocompromised, such as those living with HIV. With our Nutrition and Peer Support Program, women living with HIV (the Association d'espoir) cook meals together, which are then served to clinic patients as well as their children. Gathering for these meal provides the attendees with peer support and bonding opportunities, as well as helps adress the stigma surrounding HIV in Mali. 

Many patients who wish to be treated for HIV live in remote villages, far from most clinics. GAIA Vaccine Foundation has granted the opportunity for long distance patients to receive medical care by supporting HIV care at a clininc outskirts of Bamako, which better serves those who live further away. This clinic works to reduce the stigma around HIV, as well as provide care and education.

The Nutrition and Peer Support Program supports HIV patients by purchasing their homemade meals and serving them to other patients, as well as their families and children. Not only does this practice reduce stigma around HIV, but it also provides a community for those who may be suffering due to their HIV diagnoses. These shared meals are also vital in improving the nutrition of HIV patients, which is essential in maintaining their wellness.

With a donation of just $10, you would be providing one weekly meal for one HIV patient.
With a donation of $30, you would be providing one weekly meal for a mother and three
children. With a generous donation of $100, you would be providing meals for 25 HIV patients.
We thank you for your continuous contribution to the Nutrition and Peer Support Program, as we
work towards our goal.

Our Nutrition and Peer Support Program began in 2015. It was created by a group of women living with HIV who felt the need to create a safe environment for other clinic patients and provide access to nutritious meals twice a week. Since the inception, the Nutrition and Peer Support Program has provided 14,160 free and nutrient rich meals to adults, and 13,616 meals to children. 

Improving the nutritional status of our HIV+ patients is crucial to their holistic healthcare. Meals are prepared by HIV positive patients, and shared amongst doctors, children and patients alike to help reduce the stigma attached to the diagnosis. 

As a horrible consequence of HIV, many patients have lost loved ones or become widowed. Fostering the nutritional support groups provides those who have faced hardships with a safe and inviting setting, and to relieve them of the burden of cooking themselves. This is particularly important as food prices rise across the African continent. 

For a donation of $10, you would be providing one weekly meal for a patient living with HIV. For a donation of $30, you would be providing a weekly meal for a mother and her three children, relieving her of the stress of meal preparation. For a generous donation of $100, you would be providing a weekly meal for 25 patients. We thank you for your continuous support and donations.

The Nutrition and Peer Support for HIV+ Patients program is vital for forging connections within communities and promoting support for those who are immunocompromised. GAIA Vaccine Foundation supports the program by purchasing food which is prepared by the Association d’Espoir, a group of patients living with HIV, and then shared with other patients and community members. Doctors and the children of patients also join, helping add to the sense of community and support, 

This ongoing program has made HIV care accessible for patients living far away from specialized treatment in Mali. GAIA Vaccine Foundation’s HIV clinic is based in a village infirmary and serves a growing number of impoverished HIV patients on the outskirts of Mali’s capital, Bamako. Within the Nutrition and Peer Support for HIV+ Patient program, GAIA Vaccine Foundation works to diminish the strong stigma surrounding HIV through education, awareness and prevention.     

Many patients have been widowed, or suffered great loss through the contraction of HIV. This program provides a sanctuary for those who have experienced loss, and a safe space to raise awareness as well as educate how to  prevent HIV. Throughout 2022, the Nutrition and Peer Support HIV+ Patients program held 105 meetings, which resulted in 294 individuals scheduling HIV doctor’s appointments. In total, the program served 2,012 meals to adults, and 1,611 meals to children. 

This ongoing project continues to reach many impoverished individuals, and works to not only educate, but also raise awareness and prevent the spread of HIV through community events. For a donation of only $10, you would be providing a weekly meal for an HIV+ patient. For a donation of $30, you would be providing a mother and her three children their weekly meal. We thank you for your support, it is greatly appreciated.

The Nutrition and Peer Support program for HIV+ patients was created to not only form a safe and welcoming environment for those afflicted by HIV, but also release the financial burden of widowed or single parents of having to cook for their children. As the war in Ukraine continues, food prices have soared, making it difficult for single mothers to support their families. 

The war in Ukraine has greatly affected food prices and chain supply across the globe. The African country of Mali has especially felt these aftershocks, as the price of food and other needs has skyrocketed, making it unaffordable for many.

According to the International Food Policy Research Group, household consumption has fallen across the board for all Malian households. This is because due to the inflation, there have been rising prices, as well as falling incomes. The research group describes the household inflation as a ‘food shock’, which has affected households across the country.

Programs such as the ongoing Nutrition and Peer Support group for HIV+ patients are greatly beneficial during this time due to the nature of the local economy, and rising prices of food. Having access to these welcoming meals lessens the financial burden for single parents that are supporting large households. By donating only $10, you would be giving an HIV+ patient their weekly meal within the program. For only $30, you would be giving a weekly meal to a mother and three children. There have been many individuals in the local Malian community that have been afflicted by both HIV+ and the food shock. Your donations are greatly appreciated at this time.