Pediatric Care for Children Affected
by HIV in Lusaka, Zambia

World Centric + Power of Love

$57,438 from profits from fiscal year 2020

In Zambia, over 1 million children have been orphaned, mostly due to the impact of AIDS. Most orphaned children live with relatives who themselves may be sick with HIV. Families often have little knowledge about HIV prevention. Despite the availability of medications, many children lack treatment resulting in malnourishment, sickness, and inability to attend school. Life expectancy for a child born HIV+ is just 4-5 years. On top of these challenges, 42% of the population of Zambia lives in extreme poverty.

Power of Love supports vulnerable families take ownership and become self-reliant in taking care of their health. Their model of care is a unique, community-based approach developed to provide comprehensive care for HIV+ infants and children. The program was created in partnership with MIT's D-Lab, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the Waitt Family Foundation to bring for-profit best-practices and cost-management into a resource stressed environment. Services for both children and their families include health checkups, psycho-social counseling, education, and training in HIV prevention.

POL's model is unique because it puts the onus of care back into the home. This is achieved by the provision of training in basic nursing, education in HIV/STI’s, and counseling services to HIV+ children and families. Training family members ensures better health outcomes for the whole family. However, since most families live on less than $2/day, and do not have marketable skills, food, and medicines are provided for the children. Children with poor health receive high protein soy supplement. To break out of the cycle of low education and poverty, funds for school expenses are provided. The result is better health for all, fewer missed days from school or work, and knowledgeable families. The survival rate for children in POL's program is greater than 95%.

The Impact

• Health services, food, and medicines for 500 HIV+ children.
• Training in HIV care and prevention for families.
• 200 children receive school support (fees, uniforms, shoes, school bags, etc).

Indirect impacts:

• 95% survival rate.
• Health improvements measured by an increase in weight and higher CD4 counts.
• Reduction in new HIV infections.
• 20% increase in school attendance.
• Increase in community knowledge of better hygiene practices.
• Education about STI’s and safe sex leads to fewer teen pregnancies and higher school attendance.
• Fewer missed days at school or work leads to economic stability.
• Increased community knowledge about HIV leads to reduced stigma, increased testing, and prevention.
  

About Power of Love

A World Centric partner since 2014.

POL funds and runs projects in Zambia and India targeted toward helping women and children infected/affected with HIV/AIDS. Their vision is a world where the AIDS epidemic is in continuous retreat, and people living with HIV have access to loving care and treatment in an environment free of stigma and discrimination.