Nkosentsha Khumalo
A Non-Governmental self-funded Bulawayo based Community Organization, the Bulawayo South Aids Trust (BSAT) on Tuesday donated food hampers worth US$3 450 to it’s district members, people both affected and infected with HIV and Aids.
BSAT is a community based organization, formed in 2005 and comprises of five different support groups namely Intuthuko, Thokazani, Isango Elisha, Masiyephambili, Ekukhanyeni and they co-ordinate the interests of people both affected, infected with HIV and AIDS in Bulawayo.
The BSAT District Aids Chairperson Sibahle Moyo told Zim GBC News that their major aim is to keep people affected and infected with HIV and Aids always under treatment as most of them are defaulting medication due to various circumstances.
“We saw that people living with HIV were defaulting, not taking their medication properly due to different circumstances and poor nutrition so we saw a need to seek for funds to support our people” Said Moyo .
The BSAT District Aids Coordinator Silas Manjera added that the food hampers were also directed to key populations, widows, orphans, lesbians, gays, bisexual, transgender, intersex and Queer+(LGBTIQ+).
The National Aids Council (NAC) District Aids Coordinator for Bulawayo Province Millicent Soko who was there on behalf of NAC and in support of the BSAT attested that she was happy to forsee that the Art, ARV programme was working.
“Today I feel this is a huge milestone for us as the NAC because in the past it was us that had to source donations for the people living with HIV and AIDS, assist them in many ways but today they have managed to come up with their own community based organization and found themselves a donor” said Soko.
The Zimbabwe National Network of People living with HIV (ZNNP+) Provincial Coordinator for Bulawayo Province Addis Hlomane who was invited by members supporting ZNNP+ said she was happy that the people living with HIV and Aids had been empowered, initiated with the food packs.
Said Hlomane,
“These ones have done very well, on their own they have gone out and sourced funds to supplement food for their people who are living with HIV and AIDS.”
She added that a balanced food nutrition is a fundamental requirement for people living with HIV and AIDs on a daily basis.
A Beneficiary of BSAT donations under Intuthuko support group of Ward 6 Chairperson, Alice Tshuma said she was very humbled, happy to receive the food donations as the economy has threatened their way of survival.
“This donation will go a long way for us as people affected, infected with HIV and Aids as we will manage to feed our families for that short time using the little we have received.” said Tshuma.
“We are grateful and pray that they continue to remember us in such a way, we are able to meet other affected people who encourage us not giving up on life.” she added.
200 people benefited from the donation which comprised of a 10kg mealie meal pack, 2 litres of cooking oil, 2kg Hullets sugar, sugar beans, salt, chunks, two bars of green bar soap and peanut butter.
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