Episcopal Relief and Development has HIV/AIDS programs in countries most devastated by the disease such as Honduras, DR Congo, Burundi, Namibia, Peru, Tanzania, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Swaziland, Botswana, El Salvador and many others.  Working in partnership with the worldwide Church and ecumenical agencies, Episcopal Relief and Development is committed to fighting HIV/AIDS by offering prevention education and training to vulnerable communities, providing economic opportunities and caring for people living with HIV/AIDS, supporting orphaned children and families left behind and most recently, preventing mother-to-child transmission.

Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTC) program

An estimated 30,000 infants become infected with HIV annually through mother-to-child transmission. With a grant from the MAC AIDS Fund, Episcopal Relief and Development recently launched a PMTCT program to prevent mother-to-child transmission in Zambia.  This pilot program is being implemented in partnership with the Zambian Anglican Council in the regions of Ngwena, Maramba, Namatama, Libuya, and nearby compounds around Livingstone. It is estimated that 40 percent of pregnant women in these regions are HIV-positive - the highest rates in Zambia.  The program encourages HIV-positive pregnant women to use prenatal services and deliver their babies at health centers so they may be treated with nevirapine, an antiretroviral drug that reduces the transmission of HIV from mother to infant.  Through trained volunteer motivators, focus group discussions and door-to-door visits, the program is raising awareness in affected communities about the mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
To learn more about this program, see the latest ERD Now newsletter http://www.er-d.org/resourcecenter.htm?menupage=36742.

Viola Gets a Second Chance

Viola, a young woman from Burundi, understands the stigma of AIDS. After she was diagnosed with HIV, her neighbors shunned her. Viola was left to fend for herself. To her neighbors, her community, she was already dead.

With no money, no hope for living, Viola felt dead-her heart was broken.

But unknown to Viola, a resurrection was already underway. Thanks to ERD, the Anglican Church of Burundi –and the gifts of friends like you-Viola found a second chance at life.

Through a micro-credit loan program with the local church, Viola received AIDS counseling. She learned how to cope and survive on her own with the disease. Most importantly, Viola received a small loan to start her own food shop selling produce and other critical food supplies. It didn’t take long for her business to flourish-along with her outlook on life. She discovered a sense of purpose, something she had lost since her diagnosis. And, to her surprise, public opinion in her community changed.

Suddenly, the threat of Viola’s condition disappeared. Neighbors who once were wary of Viola now buy food from her store to feed their families. She even sold products to members of her community at a reduced price. Today, Viola is an asset to the community- a confident businesswoman and role model for women and community members living with HIV/AIDS.

Changing Lives and Keeping the Promise
On World AIDS Day, December 1st, you can join millions of people in the fight against HIV/AIDS your own local community and worldwide.  Here are a few ways you can make a difference:

•  Pray for the over 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS and the children and families left behind.
•  Remember the 25 million people who have died of AIDS.
•  Educate yourself and others about the disease and its impact on people everywhere.
•  Give a donation that will help vulnerable people and communities fight this deadly disease  https://www.servicenetwork.com/Olg/ERD/Donate.asp

For more information about Episcopal Relief and Development’s HIV/AIDS programs, please visit http://www.er-d.org/.