RDC 11 – LIVING POSITIVELY WITH HIV/AIDS
Project Location
The project takes place in Kisangani, a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Victim of three wars that pitted the country against the Rwandan and Ugandan armies between 1999 and 2000, the city of Kisangani bears the unenviable nickname of "martyr city". Given its geographical position, Kisangani is the starting point and the terminus of river traffic between East and West. Thanks to this strategic location, this city continues to play an important economic role and should be able to play a central role in the economic recovery and development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
But the people of Kisangani seem trapped in poverty. All exits end up in blind alleys. To survive, many work in the mines where the workforce is often exploited and sold off, given the great competition. To preserve this meager courtyard, some defend their territory with weapons, which reignites the spiral of violence. To escape this vicious circle, most of these populations fall back on subsistence farming.
Project description
In Congo AIDS is still more present than one might think and still claims many victims. The goal of this project is to help people with AIDS to live their situation with serenity, accompanying them spiritually, psychologically and materially. We regularly follow up with a group of terminally ill women and men. We meet them every month as a group to give everyone the opportunity to share the experience and help each other live with serenity.
The state only provides specific antiretroviral drugs, everything else is up to the individual. Doctor visits and visits, consultations, hospitalizations, surgeries and more. In their situation these people are not able to work much and therefore it is necessary to intervene by providing them with the other medicines they need.
We also help some families to pay the rent and to rebuild the houses (in bricks and tin roofs) for those who built them with earth and which are crumbling due to the rains and winds. Sometimes on Women's Day we buy them a piece of fabric for a dress. At each meeting we give them something in cash to buy food.
Objectives
- To help patients living with the HIV virus to live their situation positively and with serenity
- Offer spiritual and material support, helping the poorest with food, medicine and utilities
Beneficiaries
Direct: 40 people with AIDS
Indirect: families
Referent sister for the project: Sr. Enza Stoppele
Project's costs