Field report (HIV/AIDS) from Lilongwe, Malawi

The beneficiaries of SOS Social Centre Lilongwe often suffer from malnutrition. Alex Nguwo, head of the centre, describes one particular case which looks as though it will have a positive outcome.

Malnutrition leads to weakened immunity against common illnesses

According to Alex Nguwo, head of the SOS Social Centre Lilongwe, the community surrounding the social centre is malnourished to a great extent. Malnutrition is one of the factors causing reduced immunity in addition to poverty, inadequate shelter and little formal education.

Some of the families within the catchment area are severely poverty-stricken. Many malnourished people live in shacks made from scraps of wood and plastic, lacking proper sanitation. They drink untreated water from an unprotected source, and their immunity against common diseases such as colds, diarrhoea and common childhood illnesses, is greatly reduced.

These diseases are also common when a person is HIV positive. Due to the high rate of HIV/AIDS infection within the community, doctors and clinicians need to be sure whether they are treating a primary or a secondary infection.

Mildred is 43 years old and has five children, and is one of the patients receiving community home-based care from the SOS Social Centre on the outskirts of Lilongwe. She comes from Nsana, a village twelve kilometres from the SOS Children's Village.

Mildred was identified by community home-based care volunteers, and referred to the social centre for assessment, as she showed symptoms of anaemia, malaria, and gastro enteritis. Mildred was very weak and, could not even walk short distances. Due to her frequent illnesses, Mildred had assumed that she was HIV positive, although she had not taken a test.

Practical support for children affected by HIV/AIDS

When she visited the clinic, Mildred was interviewed and it became clear that she did not have enough food at home and most of the time she would not eat for several days at a time. She always ensured that what little food was available to the family went primarily to her children.

Mildred's symptoms were treated and she was put on a nutritious diet where she received a daily supplementary special meal, called vita meal. She tested negative for HIV and was offered diet counselling. Mildred was then examined twice weekly and after only two weeks she already showed some improvement. The community home-based volunteers also helped Mildred make a kitchen garden by her house in which she is now growing various vegetables from seeds she obtained from the social centre.

After two months of a more nutritious diet, Mildred is now on her way back to being healthy. Her symptoms have subsided and her weight has increased from 41 to 48 kg. She is now able to do her household chores and care for her children.

Mildred has learnt about the importance of a varied diet, and how to keep healthy with foods which can be found locally and are within her reach financially. At the moment, the centre continues to provide her with vita meals until she is strong enough to attend courses about income generation. These should then help her improve and secure her family's health in the long run.

*For privacy reasons, we have changed the name of the woman.

SOS Children has been supporting communities affected by HIV/AIDS around Lilongwe, Malawi since 2003, nine years after the SOS Children's Village opened here. Practical help is given to child-headed or grandparent-headed families in their homes as well as a programme of education to generate more awareness and help prevention.

You can support children affected by HIV/AIDS in Malawi by sponsoring a child.