Adolescents Living with HIV form support group

by dapp | Apr 10, 2018 | Blog, News

HOPE Bindura has facilitated the formation of the Kubatana club support group to provide support to adolescents living with HIV in Manhenga ward 10 catchment area.  The support group which has 20 youth members seeks to address the issues of counselling ,drug adherence, safe sex and stigma. Speaking at the launch DAPP Zimbabwe HOPE Bindura Program Officer Hazvinei Kufa said teens generally face many challenges and positive living teens are more likely that adults to default on treatment. She said teens often face stigma in their communities because of their HIV-positive status.

The support group offers a safe environment to help teens, some who are orphans to deal with issues affecting their lives. HOPE  Bindura will work closely with the support groups to train and educate families and caregivers of the infected teens. As a result 20 treatment buddies were  formed so that the adolescents  will not miss taking their drugs as they will be supported by the primary home based caregivers and one family member.

The launch of the Adolescent support group was supported by the  Ministry of Health and Child Care,  ZNNP+ and Child Line.

Farmers take up small grains cultivation

by dapp | Apr 10, 2018 | Blog, News

Farmers’ clubs Zimbabwe projects are engaging farmers in Masvingo ,Makoni, Mutasa in promoting the cultivation of small grains such as millet and sorghum to boost food security.

Farmers’ clubs Project Leaders agree that small grains such as sorghum, pearl and finger millet play a vital role in food and nutrition security. Small grains by their nature make them able to thrive better in drier areas.

Farmers also received education on the benefits of growing small grains. They were taught that, sorghum and pearl millet are rich in potassium and calcium which are important for healthy bones and teeth while finger millet is rich in iron which is important for children under five years, pregnant women and the chronically ill patients.

Farmers welcomed the initiative and managed to produce a substantial amount of the small grains.

Following the good harvest Farmers were also educated on storage of the small grains discovering that as compared to maize, finger millet has long storage life and is rarely attacked by insects.

Ministry of Agriculture is on record saying that growing small grains is a proven approach for improving household food security.