We attend Adolescent Corner every Wednesday at 2 O’clock pm at the Poly Clinic. We have our child councellor who is Aunt Loice, she teaches us about many things about people who are living positive. She teaches us about how to take drugs which are Antretroviral drugs which are tablets taken by
people who are positive. She also advice us what will happen if those people skip to take their tablets daily. She says their immune system will be weaken because HIV virus multiply.

This is where I get some knowledge and support. From the day I started to go there I know what will happen if someone skip to take his/her drugs and I will tell him what to do.

It is good to be among others you will get new ideas.
Spiwe (18)

A great start to the Year

2011 has got off to a cracking start!! Inspite of limited funding, the team at Zvandiri House are determined to keep up the momentum of 2010. With grants continuing from Children First and Maruva Trust, the Zvandiri programme continues to reach children with HIV across Harare through 20 weekly community support groups, the community outreach team, 10 Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters, 30 adolescent trainers and Zvandiri House Training and Support Centre.

A particular focus of this first quarter is training of caregivers and community members. HIV positive adolescents are training them on topics such as stigma, ARVs and adherence and disclosure with the aim of strengthening care and support for children with HIV in the communities.

Africaid is thrilled that the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture has given approval for Africaid to take the “Audacity of Hope” exhibition in to schools in order to promote understanding and awareness of the needs of HIV positive children amongst school children.

The Community Adolescent Treatment Supporters continue with their skilled adherence monitoring and support for children on ARVs and they are enjoying their work facilitating the support groups and adolescent corners in City Health Clinics. Four new corners are in the process of being set up, totalling 10 in Harare. The HIV testing and counselling programme for infants and children is developing well, with great demand for this mobile community service.

Zvandiri House continues to buzz with activity and we thank John Eaton for continuing to allow us to take over his house and beautiful garden! Apart from the usual daily activities, it has already hosted a group of adolescents from Kwekwe in January who wanted to learn from the children and adolescents at Zvandiri. It was also the venue for the first Youth Group “New Year’s Eve” party - a great time was had by all!

Finally, a rarely mentioned yet special group of people are Africaid’s Board of Trustees. They share the common characteristic of being prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure that the lives of children with HIV are as healthy, joyful and productive as possible. Africaid is extremely privileged to have this team of wise, experienced, caring people to steer us is in the right direction and we have started 2011 with a strategic planning process which will be used to guide Africaid over the next five years. This will certainly include the scale up of the Zvandiri model in order to reach more children with HIV.

“I can be down but not out” by Fadzie