As Tiny Tim & Friends grows in terms of patients, and the number activities we undertake to provide additional layers of support to those patients, we must also grow our support networks around the world. In Lusaka our community volunteers provide an essential part of our work in: helping us access individuals who would have been previously unknown to us; in allowing us to provide home based support to our patients across Lusaka; and in ensuring we can provide follow ups to everyone we test as HIV+ in order to ensure they are getting the right medical care and treatment they need to lead a healthy life. We specifically work with HIV+ women in the community to help support our work and to provide HIV awareness and sensitisation. Their personal insight into living with HIV and their understanding of the issues the communities are facing enables us to have a much greater impact on the lives of the children, adolescents and pregnant women we work everyday to support. One of our community volunteers is Margaret, 45, who after her diagnosis of being HIV+ decided she wanted to help others: “ I tested as HIV+ in 2004, I was scared at the time because I had three children and was worried they would also be HIV+. I knew a little bit about HIV but mainly that it could kill you and knew nothing about being able to live a healthy life. I got all of my children tested and they were all negative. I was put on ARV’s and started to learn more about HIV. After I understood more I decided I wanted to help other people who were HIV+ and help others to understand more about HIV. So in 2006 I started volunteering at George Clinic doing filing, helping with follow ups and monitoring the growth of malnourished children. Then one day a lady came to the clinic and told me about Tiny Tim & Friends and asked if I would be interested in volunteering with them to help identify HIV+ children and that is how I came to work with TTF.
My favourite part of working with TTF is when you find someone in the community, get them tested and they get enrolled into the clinic because I know then that they will have a better chance in life to be healthy. There are a lot of problems in the community which I see which can lead to increased HIV transmission or ill health for people living with HIV. There is no employment, people do peacemeal work selling vegetables, cleaning, collecting bottles but nothing consistent. The best job for a community member is a security guard but you need to be healthy so if you are HIV+ and not on treatment you can get sick a lot and then end up losing your job. Because people have little money to survive some people resort to crime, stealing from peoples homes. Alcoholism and substance abuse is an issue, especially for young men and women. They have nothing else to do so soon turn to substances for entertainment. This can lead to promiscuity or sexual assault for women. Additionally a lot of young women and children are assaulted by family members. People are afraid to report it to the police for fear of judgement that they have been out drinking or that their family member (who could be a wage provider) will go to prison and their family will suffer more. Its also not easy for young women to get condoms, vendors wont sell to them and they don’t feel empowered to ask a man to wear a condom in case they are accused of being promiscuous. I see a lot of teenage pregnancies because the girls are vulnerable. There are a lot of orphans in the community so they are also left vulnerable. The teenagers are the ones who need education the most, to understand the importance of safe sex. And for young girls to be empowered and feel confident to insist on safe sex. In Zambian culture that is a difficult thing to overcome. There is also a lot of education needed on the dangers of stopping medication once you have started it. And the importance of talking to your health care provider if you are experiencing side effects. A lot of the time in the community if someone is HIV+ and gets sick people can stop caring for them as they expect them to die but that isn't the case any more with medicine. People need educated around this. I try and talk to 2-3 people every day, I tell them I am HIV+ and they are surprised as I am healthy – they have a lot of questions about medication and side effects. A lot of people are also afraid of getting tested but when I tell them I am HIV+ they feel a lot more comfortable, and a lot less fearful that it means an early death. I want to go back to school so I can continue to work with TTF and do even more work with them to support HIV+ individuals in the community – to help children and families to be less fearful and ashamed and to be rid of the stigma that exists around HIV so that people can lead more open lives and transmission is reduced. Since I found out I was HIV+ I have also had another child who is very healthy so I know it is possible to lead a healthy normal life with the right treatment and support, like TTF provide. I want others to have the same opportunities I have. “
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We want to share with you the story of just one of the children, whose life has been changed thanks to everyone who donated, through CARINGCROWD, to our Nutrition programme. Gladys is 6 years old and was brought to the Tiny Tim & Friends Clinic last year by her grandmother who was concerned with a persistent cough and considerable weight loss. Upon testing it was discovered she was HIV+. Gladys weighed just 12kgs (26lbs) putting her below the 1st percentile on the BMI index and classifying her as considerably underweight. Thanks to the donations of 34 people through CARINGCROWD, we were able to enroll Gladys into our Nutrition programme. After only one month on the programme Gladys had gained 4kgs (almost 9lbs) and now is considered as a very healthy weight (at the 78th percentile on the BMI index). We spoke to her Grandmother, Janet, about the impact the food support and nutritional advice is having for her family: "I have cared for Gladys for most of her life, as both of her parents have died. I own the family home but we live there with 15 other family members, selling vegetables to make money for food - usually making about 300 kwacha a week to feed the entire family (less than $30).
I took Gladys to the TTF clinic as I was worried about her weight and after speaking to a woman in the community thought she may be HIV+. The food we have been getting from TTF helps so much. Before we could only feed Gladys at breakfast and in the evening and now she has 3 meals a day and snacks. The food is also helping with her taking her medication which was previously making her sick when she took it without eating. We have always tried to make her go to school but since she has become sicker she was missing more and more. Now she has gained weight and is managing on her medication better so is going back to school. The nutritional talks are also helping me in thinking about how to care for Gladys and prepare her meals - I have also been sharing this with my daughters and supporting my other grandchildren with this knowledge. I am too thankful to this support and I try and encourage the younger mothers in the programme to think about how they are using the food to help their children gain weight and become more healthy like Gladys." Gladys is just one of the children we are seeing significant changes in due to the nutritional support and education their families are receiving. Without your donations this would not have been possible. So thank you and please watch out for more updates on the children you are helping. Imagine living in a home with one room, 10 family members and surviving on one meal a day.....This is the reality for Joyce, a 9 year old patient at the Tiny Tim & Friends Clinic. Joyce is a new patient at TTF. She is HIV+, weighs only 12kgs (26lbs), has TB and is suffering from an all over body rash. Her symptoms and illnesses are not uncommon for a malnourished HIV+ child. Joyce currently sits below the 5th percentile on the BMI index and her health is a great concern – her CD4 count is 261 - just above a critical level. Joyce's family situation is complex, her mother has alcohol abuse issues, and upon visiting her family home we discovered here grandmother, Betty, was seriously ill with TB - weighing only 28kgs (61lbs). Due to malnutrition Joyce is always sick and unable to go to school. Her mother never went to school and so is unable to secure regular employment, meaning food is scarce. They are stuck in a cycle of poverty. Joyce needs significant medical and social support in order to help her to get healthy and lead a positive life. Tiny Tim & Friends is currently supporting her in the following ways:
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO HELP HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN LIKE JOYCE AT THE ttf cLINICJoyce came to Tiny Tim & Friends in August through one of our community volunteers who was working to identify HIV+ children in one of the biggest compounds in Lusaka, George Compound. She found Joyce in a bar with her mother, who sadly suffers with alcohol abuse issues. Immediately our volunteer was concerned by Joyce’s appearance – after speaking to her mother, Miriam, our volunteer confirmed that Joyce was HIV+ but not currently on treatment. After a long discussion Miriam consented for Joyce to be brought to the TTF Clinic. Ever since I was in my early 20’s I have wanted to work in development. But getting into development is tough, people tell you to get practical experience, to get a masters, to learn another language, get a skill or trade, to forget about a skill get policy knowledge, to volunteer, to network. There is no clear path in which to take – I worked for several different charities in the UK and eventually back in 2012 I decided I wanted to get practical experience in a developing country so applied to volunteer through VSO, and after a fast 5 months was on my way to Zambia. "Without improving nutrition, the world will fail to achieve many of the Sustainable Development Goals. There is an urgent moral and practical imperative for the world to make ambitious, measurable, and timebound commitments to equitably improve nutrition. In monitoring these commitments, the Global Nutrition Report will help us hold ourselves accountable. Lives depend on it."
Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF Yesterday saw the launch of the Global Nutrition Report 2015, stating that good nutrition provides a foundation for human development and the scaffolding needed for people to fulfill their full potential. Good nutrition is an essential driver to human development. Without good nutrition human beings cannot fulfill their full potential. Many of you will remember, Evison, the young boy who came to TTF last year completely malnourished with a range of ilnesses - you will also remember the fantastic transformation in his health after just 5 months with us. To ensure that we can support even more children like Evison we have teamed up with CARINGCROWD℠, a new crowdfunding platform seeking to address global health inequalities and powered by Johnson & Johnson.
www.caringcrowd.org/nourish-25-hiv-children-and-families We are aiming to raise $6,500 in just 30 days to support 25 of the most vulnerable, malnourished children and families at the TTF clinic. In order to do so need as many of our supporters as possible to pledge money to our cause and/ or share with your networks. If we do not reach our target within the allocated time we dont get a penny - therefore we are looking for project advocates who can help achieve our goal. So how can you support us? By Katie Kampa: "As I complete the last few days of a ten week internship with Tiny Tim & Friends, it’s a great time for me to look back and reflect on the experiences I’ve had with the organization. While TTF is a rather small NGO, I have been amazed at the large number of activities that they are involved in and the number of clients they manage to reach. "THE DEDICATED STAFF AT TTF AND THE GRACIOUS DONORS..... |
In Lusaka, Zambia it is estimated by the Ministry of Health that almost 1 in 5 people are living with HIV. Individuals knowing their status and getting access to treatment (ART) is essential to prevent HIV transmission. At the end of last year TTF undertook 14 intensive days community outreaches in Chibolya, one of the most economically deprived areas of Lusaka. With a team of 10 counselors lead by our Social Worker, Noah Kampengele, we worked in the community going door to door to talk to people in the privacy of their homes about HIV, testing 6,341 individuals, identifying 217 HIV people and registering 116 HIV+ children and adolescents into the TTF Clinic. |
"KNOWING THAT WE CAN SAVE A CHILD'S LIFE
IS WHY WE DO THIS WORK."
What is it like in Chibolya? Chibolya compound originated from the migration of people from different places around Zambia in search of greener pastures, but basically ended up being a hiding place for armed robbers, drug dealers and prostitutes. There are basically no facilities there, especially health, education and police presence. The houses have no order and most don't have house numbers. This means finding your way around and finding people can be really difficult. When TTF do outreaches do you only focus on children? No, not at all, we test entire families and individuals who request it. |
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