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Fungai Lupande Mash Central Bureau
The National AIDS Council (NAC) and its partners are assisting people living positively with HIV to start businesses and cater for their financial and nutritional needs.
Once people living with HIV can cater for their own nutritional and financial needs, NAC’s burden is reduced to focusing on treatment.
On the outskirts of Mvurwi Town, a community garden started in 2015 has over 75 households living positively.
The garden has become a symbol of hope to these people who were reduced to begging due to ill-health.
The members are sharing 3,5 hectares each, growing fruit and vegetables which they sell and also eat to improve nutritional needs.
Mr Taimbanari Chokuda said due to ill health he was failing to fend for his family before deciding to join hands and asked for land at Mvurwi Town Council.
“It is now 16 years living positively and If you saw me then you wouldn’t recognise me now. I was in a sorry state and I would beg for help. Through this garden, I can send my children to school and be food and nutrition secure,” he said.
“We only receive seed assistance once and we have managed to sustain our garden since 2015. Each member pays a dollar per month for maintenance, we also pay the security guard from this fund.
“The US ambassador self-project partnered with Healing Hands to fund a solar powered borehole and fencing. We received training on climate change and smart agriculture from the Kurainashe Organisation. Organic farming is beneficial to people living positively.”
He said while gardening, they take the opportunity to teach others about positive living, adherence and counsel each other.
In ward 26, at Mandindindi Farm, Ms Pepertua Mugari together with her support group of 10 members received five goats from Kurainashe Organisation in 2017.
The number of goats increased to 20, before the members shared equally, each getting two goats.
Ms Mugari takes care of her husband, who tested positive in 2009.
However, Ms Mugari said she is HIV negative. She now has over 10 goats and whenever need arises, she sells the goats to meet her husband’s medical needs.
Ms Tendai Mutsvedze and her husband Mr Joseph Mongora are into poultry and gardening but they are struggling to find market for their produce.
Mazowe district AIDS coordinator Mrs Mercy Mudhombo hailed the businesses saying they improve livelihoods.
“The projects improve their livelihoods, they get milk and meat at the same time. They sell the produce to raise money for medication. NAC used to support people living positively with material things but now we are concentrating more on provision of antiretroviral drugs,” she said.
Online Reporter