29 July 2009
Three years ago Julia Banda, 39, thought that her life was at an end. But now, thanks to a DFID-backed support group, she is looking forward to starting up her own small business.
In 2006 both Julia’s mother and husband died from AIDS-related illnesses. Soon afterwards Julia herself fell ill.
“I wondered if I might be HIV-positive because my husband died. Although we didn’t know it was AIDS that killed him, I suspected it was,” she says.
Counselling and treatment
Fortunately for Julia a local homecare volunteer, Ivy Chibwana, heard about her illness. Ivy was trained by the Batsirai Group, which, supported by the DFID-funded charity Progressio, works throughout the Mashonaland West province of northern Zimbabwe to provide information, counselling and treatment around HIV and AIDS.
On calling round to Julia’s home, Ivy insisted that she visit the local Batsirai centre to be tested. The test confirmed Julia’s suspicions that she was HIV-positive.
“I was scared about what would happen to my child if I died,” she recalls. “My mother and my husband had passed away. And here I was, HIV-positive and without a job.”
“Ivy introduced me to a Batsirai support group for people with HIV. We meet regularly, talk to each other and get help on how to look after ourselves properly. I still fall sick sometimes and when I do people from the support group come and give me ideas on what to do.”
Sharing profits
The group has now extended its role beyond that of mutual support. The women pool their money to buy goods and sell them at a profit, which they then share amongst themselves. Realising that HIV is no bar to earning an income, Julia has been inspired to restart the small biscuit-selling business she ran before she fell ill.
“I am thankful to Ivy for making me face up to my situation, telling me to get tested and join the support group. I can feel my body getting stronger.”
Ivy, who is HIV-positive herself and currently helping 30 families to live decent lives with HIV, says: “Everybody thanks me for doing a big job, but it doesn’t feel like it. I feel like I am helping my people. I want to save lives and I can do it by passing on the knowledge I have about HIV and AIDS.”
Facts and stats
- Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world (25% of the population).
- Progressio support for the Batsirai Group has enabled it to improve its internal organisation and reach more members of the public with its counselling and information services. Among the channels used by Batsirai to disseminate its advice are magazines and pamphlets, training workshops, field visits and hairdressing salons.
- As a result of having better access to information a number of women in Mashonaland West have reported that they are now aware of how to use female condoms and are more in charge of their sexual lives.
- DFID is providing £10.3 million to Progressio between 2008-11 through a Partnership Programme Arrangement.