Education & HIV Treatment for 100 Children-Murewa

Rozaria Memorial Trust (RMT) is directly supporting about 150 children living with HIV in Murewa, Zimbabwe to access treatment and education. The project is now covering three wards; Ward 8, 17 and 18 with a total of 60 villages in Murewa District.This is now full coverage of Ward 17, and entry into Ward 18 in the district doubling the area of coverage, thus reaching more children.

Nine (9) Primary Schools and 3 secondary schools are being reached out through information sharing and capacity building on Anti-Retroviral Therapy and school fess subsidies for Children Living with HIV (CLHIV).We now have two more primary schools in our programme.

Apart from collaborating with schools and health institutions, RMT empowers family and community members to effectively participate in the initiatives that are promoting the children to access treatment, education and life skills support that enhances their lives.

 Murewa District has an estimated population of 165 00 people, and the HIV prevalence is 23% against the national average of 13.

Effective Support System:  Creating a Caring Environment

With the recognition that needs of Children Living with HIV are not just clinical, Rozaria Memorial Trust is building the capacity of the family members, the community and school teachers in providing supportive environment for treatment and access to unhindered education for the children. The following activities were done

• Capacity Building of 20 school teachers on Anti-Retroviral Therapy from 8 primary schools and 2 secondary schools. The training focused on the need for the schools to provide friendly services for the children to take their medication in supportive and protective environment. The teachers are encouraged to provide support that will promote values of care, respect, judgemental attitudes so as to build trusting and caring relationships with the children.
• On-going school fees subsidies scheme is in place. 70 Children Living with HIV are receiving school fees subsidies. Fifty Seven (57) of the children are at primary level whilst thirteen (13) are at secondary level.
• 2 community meetings at Mazianike School and Muhume Centre on treatment, nutrition and education. 50 guardians and parents of children living with HIV took part in the meetings.

Next Step: Building the life skills of YPLHIV

The project next step is to actively engage and support young people living with HIV in the communities HIV responses through life skills training. The life skills programme is targeting mainly adolescents and young people living with HIV. Life skills programme for YPLHIV is going to be done to help young people living with HIV to cope with their HIV positive status and to manage stress; treatment adherence, make healthy choices on safe sex, and gain understanding of their sexual and reproductive rights.

This is key in ensuring that whilst we promote access to treatment and education for the children; we reverse the spread of the virus, realise human rights and contribute towards UNAIDS 2015 goal of achieving Zero new infections and Zero AIDS-related Deaths by 2015.

We thank all friends and people of goodwill who continue to support our cause, as we provide the much needed access to opportunities to the most vulnerable children and their families.