Nutrition Program for HIV Positive Orphans Among Activities Carried out by Star Support Group Affected by Coronavirus Pandemic
Coronavirus Pandemic has adversely affected almost all the activities of Star Support Group, an NGO introduced by the Christian Brothers in Yambio to help those struggling with the devastations of HIV and AIDS in late 2004.
According to the acting director Mr. Kumbaye James Francis, the activities of the group which serve up to 1500 registered HIV positive members and more than 450 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) has seriously been hampered with.
He indicated that with the suspension of all social gatherings as a way of curbing the spread of Covid-19, all their HIV counseling sessions have been affected as well as OVCs gatherings, something he says, is a great hit to the organization.
He, however, said that as a way of curbing the spread of coronavirus and preventing the orphans from contracting the virus, they now are packing foods stuff and giving them to the caretakers of the orphans to cook for them, citing that they have already conducted some training on how to cook nutritious food.
Mr. Kumbaye further stated that since the outbreak of COVID 19 many donors have reduced their funding to half because they too are affected by the pandemic. This has adversely affected the activities of Star Support Group, many of which have been put on hold.
“Since the outbreak of COVID 19 those affected with HIV and AIDS who are supported by the group have expressed immense fear and worries that the pandemic has come to kill them all,” Mr. Kumbaye expressed adding that the reason to such fears and worries are founded on information and media reports that people with underlying health problems are more vulnerable to severe effects of coronavirus including death.
Owing to the expressed fears and worries, the Star Support Group had to do some awareness and counseling on COVID 19. Previously, they had introduced a program of following up on those living with HIV and AIDS to ensure that they are taking their medicines well; this was done with the help of community volunteers.
Mr. Kumbaye said that they provided 100 bicycles for 100 volunteers, an initiative that he says is helping a lot during this coronavirus period because volunteers are in a position to go door to door attending to those infected and affected to deliver drugs as well as establish how they are faring on.
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By Sylviah Naipanoi
