HIV/AIDS Support
The aim of this project is to raise awareness and education about HIV/AIDS in Uganda through delivering classes on personal hygiene and transmission prevention. In Uganda, around 7 percent of the population is living with HIV/AIDS, which amounts to around 1.4 million people. In an effort to provide assistance and care to these individuals, a range of initiatives have been established throughout Uganda, however much more help is needed to increase access to education around HIV/AIDS.
The HIV/AIDS support project in Uganda is community based and requires volunteers to travel to various rural communities, making each day different. As a volunteer on this project, your tasks may include providing educational classes, HIV/AIDS testing, distribution of contraceptives, and working on outreach programs. Following testing, volunteers provide classes for those both HIV positive and negative. For those HIV negative, education & prevention is the most important topic. Those who are HIV positive are provided with education on HIV/AIDS and are also supported to visit nearby clinics and hospitals to receive further counseling as well as starting their ARVs. ARVs are the medication required to treat HIV, and is free at clinics and hospitals in Uganda.
If you’re someone who is passionate about using education as a vehicle to provide support to those living with HIV/AIDS and help prevent the spread of the virus, your support will be greatly appreciated on this project.
Donations are highly appreciated on this project. Although providing education requires no supplies, there are various supplies that are required to complete HIV/AIDS testing such as alcohol swabs, lancets, gloves and hand sanitizer. The test kits themselves cost US$25 per 100 test kits. You are asked to bring medical gloves and alcohol wipes with you to Uganda. All volunteers are encouraged to wear closed toe shoes, and bring scrubs or a white lab coat to make you identifiable within the community.
As you will be volunteering alongside our local placement staff, you are not required to be medically qualified in order to participate on most aspects of the HIV/AIDS Support project. Please note that testing via needle pricking and taking small blood samples is only offered to volunteers who are medically qualified, with training in Phlebotomy.