Launched in 2010 in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the programme was developed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
In a recent interview, Programme Coordinator Thelma Phiri said the programme involves bringing together groups of women for regular meetings with a trained Household Mentor selected from the local community for a period of one to two years.
“Women are encouraged to discuss sensitive issues such as available resources, opportunities to change traditional norms and gender roles, as well as personal problems regarding HIV and AIDS,” said Phiri
Effective forum
“The approach is an inclusive one. It stimulates those involved to develop their own visions and plans for their households. Indirectly, the mentoring process provides the opportunity to address gender inequalities within the household. It is a particularly effective forum for the open discussion of issues such as gender and HIV/AIDS within the privacy of the home,” she added
Gladys Musekiwa has been trained as a mentor. “The mentoring programme is effective because all adult family members, e.g. husband, wife and older children, participate in deciding the household’s vision and then plan how they aim to achieve it. Together the household mobilises resources and shares in the benefits,” she explained.
The programme also provides a link to HIV testing and access to anti-retroviral drugs, as well as home-based care where necessary.
“Initially, one of the big challenges was to get people tested for HIV. Men proved especially reluctant. However, with the vision of a household plan and the increased availability of anti-retroviral drugs, it has become easier to get people to be tested. Now most of the members have been tested and provided with counselling,” said Musekiwa.
Confidence
Some households have also formed clusters, together with about four of five others, in order to build confidence and gain exposure by participating in group-based HIV and AIDS activities.
“Communities themselves are becoming more supportive of people on anti-retroviral drugs. People living with AIDS are no longer ostracised, but are given suitable jobs while undergoing therapy. Some communities have been creative in finding appropriate ways of involving people living with AIDS. Within the community infrastructure, they are given less strenuous jobs, such as keeping the attendance register. In this way, they are still part of the community,” Musekiwa added.
She noted that household mentoring had helped families affected by AIDS-related deaths to secure control over household assets by encouraging joint property ownership and written wills in favour of the remaining spouse.
“This is not, however, automatic. In some cultures, assets return to the family of the deceased spouse, so the programme encourages household members to decide on appropriate types of investment and coping strategies where such situations still prevail,” she explained.
Real change
One of the beneficiaries, Sithembile Musuka, said the programme had had tremendous impact on her life. “I have benefited a lot, especially in terms of gender empowerment. As a result, a real and meaningful change of mind-set has occurred in my own household. This has encouraged action for change,” she said.
Another woman who participated in the mentoring project, Loveness Kawadza, said there was now a greater level of awareness about the HIV infection in her community. “We now have access to voluntary counselling and testing services. In our community there has been a steady growth in the number of people receiving anti-retroviral therapy,” she said.
“The availability of anti-retroviral drugs has changed many people’s perspectives about HIV and AIDS. As a result, finding out that one is HIV-positive is no longer a death sentence. People have both the opportunity to continue to be economically active and to retain the desire to live their lives to the full,” she added
Post published in: Gender Equality