Health Care Project
This program aims to provide sexual and reproductive health education to children and youth in the Victoria Falls region. HIV prevalence rate in Victoria Falls is 25% with a total population of close to 35 000 people. Mostly children and youth are the most affected. According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey Report from 2015, HIV prevalence is the same in urban and rural areas, but is higher among women (17%) than men (11%). Furthermore, overall, 2% of children age 0-14 years are HIV positive. In all childhood age groups, HIV prevalence is much higher among children whose mothers are HIV positive. HIV continues to increase among young people but is stagnant or at least decreasing among the adult population. These children are living in abject poverty and in dire need of support. For those volunteers who truly want to extend a compassionate hand to children, this is your program.
What you will do…
Volunteers will work at the local hospital assessing HIV patients for opportunistic infections, capturing data, distributing Anti Retro Viral Treatment to patients, following up on treatment defaulters among other clinical activities. Volunteers will then engage in social activities working directly with children and youth in the community to understand challenges related to key drivers of HIV infection from a community perspective. Here, volunteers facilitate sexual and reproductive health education for youth focusing on prevention methods particularly to adolescent youth. We give you a rare opportunity that combines both a clinical and a social approach to HIV management.