By Jabulani Maziya | CHIPS Project Coordinator
The CHIPS staff have helped form Community ART (Anti-Retroviral Therapy) groups in a number of the communities that they serve. These groups are meant to help individuals in each community to better cope not only with living with HIV but also with the lifelong commitment required to take the ARVs (Anti-Retro Virals) that are taken to control the HIV virus. One of the biggest problems with living with a chronic disease is the commitment to stay on treatment. These groups are meant to help form a support structure in each community.
Mxolisi, an Expert Client that works with CHIPS has begun five of the groups so far: Maphiveni, Khomba, Macethuka, Mgidza and Section 19. The number of the ART groups is going to increase with time since the clients are still getting used to the whole idea and the fact that not all support group members attended the support group meetings when the ART groups were formed. Some members of the community who are HIV but are not CHIPS clients want to be a part of the support group initiative.
The clients like the idea of the ART groups since it will make life much easier for them: in both collecting the ARVs and also the support they can offer to each other.
While some CHIPS clients were expecting handouts from the support groups, it was explained to them that CHIPS is focusing on the therapeutic part of the support groups and not the income generating part. But the groups are open to invite other partners who could empower people living with HIV with skills. Thokozani was invited to make presentations on the work that he is doing for Kudvumisa Foundation and was received well by the clients. They feel that they will be empowered financially by selling the moringa seeds and the marula nuts and some have already started bringing the moringa seeds for Thokozane to purchase.
The support groups are now choosing names: Siyayinakekela imphilo yetfu for Maphiveni, Chubekela embili for Khomba, Inkhosi inatsi forMacethuka and Singumndeni for Section 19. Mgidza is still deciding on theirs.
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