Nutrition and peer support for HIV+ patients

Community bonding and healthy eating are vital components for maintaining mental and
physical wellness. This is even more important for those who are immunocompromised, such as those living with HIV. With our Nutrition and Peer Support Program, women living with HIV (the Association d'espoir) cook meals together, which are then served to clinic patients as well as their children. Gathering for these meal provides the attendees with peer support and bonding opportunities, as well as helps adress the stigma surrounding HIV in Mali. 

Many patients who wish to be treated for HIV live in remote villages, far from most clinics. GAIA Vaccine Foundation has granted the opportunity for long distance patients to receive medical care by supporting HIV care at a clininc outskirts of Bamako, which better serves those who live further away. This clinic works to reduce the stigma around HIV, as well as provide care and education.

The Nutrition and Peer Support Program supports HIV patients by purchasing their homemade meals and serving them to other patients, as well as their families and children. Not only does this practice reduce stigma around HIV, but it also provides a community for those who may be suffering due to their HIV diagnoses. These shared meals are also vital in improving the nutrition of HIV patients, which is essential in maintaining their wellness.

With a donation of just $10, you would be providing one weekly meal for one HIV patient.
With a donation of $30, you would be providing one weekly meal for a mother and three
children. With a generous donation of $100, you would be providing meals for 25 HIV patients.
We thank you for your continuous contribution to the Nutrition and Peer Support Program, as we
work towards our goal.

Our Nutrition and Peer Support Program began in 2015. It was created by a group of women living with HIV who felt the need to create a safe environment for other clinic patients and provide access to nutritious meals twice a week. Since the inception, the Nutrition and Peer Support Program has provided 14,160 free and nutrient rich meals to adults, and 13,616 meals to children. 

Improving the nutritional status of our HIV+ patients is crucial to their holistic healthcare. Meals are prepared by HIV positive patients, and shared amongst doctors, children and patients alike to help reduce the stigma attached to the diagnosis. 

As a horrible consequence of HIV, many patients have lost loved ones or become widowed. Fostering the nutritional support groups provides those who have faced hardships with a safe and inviting setting, and to relieve them of the burden of cooking themselves. This is particularly important as food prices rise across the African continent. 

For a donation of $10, you would be providing one weekly meal for a patient living with HIV. For a donation of $30, you would be providing a weekly meal for a mother and her three children, relieving her of the stress of meal preparation. For a generous donation of $100, you would be providing a weekly meal for 25 patients. We thank you for your continuous support and donations.