Another interesting area of work I am involved in is supporting people living with HIV and AIDS. HIV and AIDS is still a big issue in Ghana, the prevalence rates are lower than many other West African countries but it is still a crisis here and has numerous negative effects on individuals, families, communities and society. Many of the World Vision sponsored children in this district will be affected in some way, they may know a family member or relative who is suffering from HIV and AIDS or who has passed away, some children are caring for parents who are unwell, whilst others are looking after siblings when one or both of their parents has died. There is still a huge amount of stigma and prejudice attached to people living with HIV and AIDS, and as a result those who do often suffer in relative silence.

This World Vision office currently has a project to benefit about 20 people who are either living with HIV and AIDS or who are caring for orphans and vulnerable children, who may be orphaned due to HIV and AIDS. Many people living with HIV and AIDS have become unable to work, due to their increasing weakness in the early to middle stages of the HIV virus. As a result, they often become unable to work, to do any petty trading, or to manage their crops and their farms. However, for many of those who take the anti-retroviral drugs, they become stronger again after a period of time, and feel well and strong enough to work again. The problem is that by then their jobs may be lost, or their livelihoods dwindled, and starting again can be a real challenge.

In an attempt to help, this project provides some start-up money for each person to start a small business, and provides information advice and guidance on running their small business in order to make sure they are a success. The aim is to help them develop a secure source of income, which will help them to re-build their lives financially as well as re-building their confidence and sense of self-worth.

It has been a really interesting experience to attend the meetings of the group, who have formed a support group who meet regularly to discuss how things are going. They are really are a wonderful bunch of people, and it's quite sad to know some of the challenges they have faced. But all come with a sense of real optimism, and are clearly grateful and feel lucky to have this opportunity. The project also aims to overcome the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS, by supporting people to integrate back into their communities and families. It also builds a sense of hope for the future, by investing in something that is long-term, and rather than feeling isolated and cut off from society, they can engage with others in a meaningful way.

Those who are benefitting are a really diverse bunch of characters, most of whom speak Kusaal, so I'm really grateful for Mr. Shaibu, an older man who looks slightly crumpled but still very spritely, and who helps me with the translation during the meetings. The diverse business ideas also reflect the different people within the group; there are carpenters, guinea fowl farmers, petty traders, hairdressers, butchers, soap-makers, shea-butter processors, seamstresses and tailors, and even pito brewers! Some of them clearly face more challenges than others, and maybe are not ready for this project just yet...twice I have met one of the women, who jumped off her chair and fell to my feet in a blabber of greetings and excited 'I wish you well!'s - she was clearly drunk, and it was only 11am. But whilst the challenges are there, successes are still coming through, at their last meeting some reported that they are already making a good profit from their businesses, and are already expanding into other clever ways of making money - showing that the entrepreneur is as active in the local Zebillian farmer as it is in a London business man!

Hopefully soon we will start to visit some of the group in their communities and running their businesses so we can really see them in action. It's a great initiative, replicated all over Ghana, and it's really nice to get a glimpse on the inside, especially when you can really see what a differene it's making.

With love from Ghana,

Em

Xx

Note for photo: We used the mobile phones in a training session on HIV and AIDS to demonstrate the issue of confidentiality. Whilst a presentation was being given, one participant was asked to go around and sneakily collect all mobile pones. The Ghanaians being so open and kind simply handed them over - I can't imagine that at home! The exercise that followed was a bit of a game with the message "how would you feel if you lent your mobile phone to someone, and they began reading out all the messages in your inbox to other people?". It was done to demonstrate the importance of respecting the privacy of others, especially when it comes to their HIV status.