Health Poverty Action : HIV/AIDS care and prevention in Ethiopia

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Main Content: HIV/AIDS care and prevention in Ethiopia

Cultural ceremonies that encourage young girls to have numerous sexual relationships before marriage are traditional for some remote pastoralist communities in Ethiopia, but they increase the rates of HIV infection among a community that knows little about the disease.

Now Health Poverty Action is helping stop the spread of HIV and caring for those living with the virus, among 45,000 marginalised pastoralist people in two remote districts of South Omo by:

setting up youth clubs for young people to access contraceptives, information on HIV and counselling services
involving people living with HIV, teachers and traditional healers in providing health education and HIV/AIDS advice, to increase the communities’ acceptance of the project
piloting training of local clinic workers and mobile outreach teams on how to counsel and test people for HIV/AIDS
providing training and equipment to community volunteers to aid home-based care of people living with HIV/AIDS
establishing support networks and promoting the rights of HIV positive people so they can earn money, access treatment and live with dignity and without discrimination in the community.

In addition, training and support is being given to local partner staff to build their capacity to address HIV/AIDS issues in the future.

This project is being delivered in partnership with the Ethiopian Pastoralist Research and Development Association and the local Ministry of Health.

Young unmarried girls have the highest risk of HIV infection. A cultural dancing ceremony called “Evangadi” encourages them to have sex with as many men as possible so they are considered attractive. Condoms are rarely used and abortion rates are high.

The project will address this through outreach activities and provision of education and contraceptives at youth clubs

As the project progresses, the team will engage with local and national policy makers about the continued need for appropriate services and support for these communities living with, or at risk of contracting, HIV/AIDS.

Health Poverty Action has been collaborating with the local Ethiopian Pastoralist Research and Development Association since 2005, together successfully improving the health of these remote pastoralist communities.

Page Last Modified: 10/03/2010