Indian sex-worker Beena turned to prostitution when she could no longer pay her rent and feed her children on her wage as a construction worker. She is the sole support for her four children and her mother.
She is also HIV-postive and worries what will happen when she cannot carry on working.
The problem
Her story is all too familiar in many poor countries where the consequences of the global HIV epidemic are most keenly felt. Ninety per cent of new infections happen in poor countries, 11,000 people are infected every day, and 7,500 more die each day as a result.
HIV has a tragic effect on these countries, hampering their economic development and leaving millions of children without parents.
What we do
Christian Aid has more than 250 partner organisations working on HIV in 40 countries. Of these the vast majority are in sub-Saharan Africa, where AIDS-related diseases are now the leading cause of death. But we also have numerous programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Middle East.
In Bangalore where Beena lives, we support a sex-worker collective - Vijaya Mahila Sangha – which is now fighting the spread of HIV through education. Beena is a member of the collective; she and her fellow members are now at the heart of the government’s HIV strategy, educating other workers about the importance of HIV prevention.
Among our priorities in this area of our work are:
• HIV work in fragile states, and in conflict and post-conflict areas
• HIV and nutrition/food security
• HIV work with and for young people
• Support for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV
• Community-based HIV care and prevention
Back in the UK and Ireland, we carry out HIV work in the form of advocacy, campaigning, education and fundraising.
SAVE
Christian Aid supports the SAVE approach - which was developed by our African partner organisation ANERELA+ - as a way of working more effectively to prevent HIV infection.
SAVE provides a holistic way of preventing HIV by incorporating the principles of the ABC approach (Abstinence, Be faithful and Condom use) as well as providing information about HIV transmission and prevention, providing support and care for those already infected and actively challenging the denial, stigma and discrimination so commonly associated with HIV.
What you can do
You can help our work by donating to our HIV fund.