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The Dominican Republic - Caring for Those with HIV/AIDS in Villa Altagracia
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What is the need?
In the Dominican Republic, more than 50 percent of the population lives in poverty, surviving on less than a dollar (U.S.) a day. Compounding the problem is the rising threat of HIV/AIDS.
A lack of awareness about HIV/AIDS has led to widespread discrimination against the estimated 300,000 Dominicans living with the disease. Many have lost their most basic human rights. They lack access to health care and information on how to care for themselves. They are forced to leave their jobs and their homes, while their children have to drop out of school. For these individual—a rising number of whom are women—escaping poverty is a nearly impossible task.
In the municipality of Villa Altagracia, population 60,000, the need is especially great for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Each month, another two people die from the disease.
What is the solution?
To reduce the vulnerability of people living with HIV/AIDS in Villa Altagracia in the Dominican Republic, World Vision has launched an initiative that will help restore basic human rights and provide care for these individuals through a variety of programs:
- Clinical care for individuals infected with HIV/AIDS
- Community training to ensure home-based care and support for those infected with HIV/AIDS and orphans and vulnerable children affected by the disease
- Psycho-social and emotional support
- Education to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness
- Advocacy for those living with HIV/AIDS
Project Objectives
- Equip community members to become trainers to provide family members of those infected with HIV/AIDS with information on how to prevent HIV/AIDS, care for individuals with HIV/AIDS, and offer social support
- Increase access for families to HIV/AIDS support services in the community
- Provide programs that help the community care for orphans and vulnerable children caring for adults infected with HIV/AIDS
- Build support systems for communities in which neighbors provide support for families affected by HIV/AIDS—including provision of home-based care
- Meet basic needs for families affected by HIV/AIDS such as equipment, medicines, and food
- Establish community-based support groups for family members caring for those are ill from HIV/AIDS
- Establish programs such as counselling services to offer emotional support for families affected by HIV/AIDS
- Support initiatives that seek to end discrimination against individuals living with HIV/AIDS
- Provide proper documentation of activities undertaken
Program Duration
One year
2005 Funding Need
$300,000*
*Can be funded partially or in full. |
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