HIV AIDS in West Africa and the Microenterprise Solution

I recently met with a group of patients that have HIV/AIDS in Africa. They were very courageous to come forward with their disease and they were very passionate about helping other HIV/AIDS victims and preventing it's spread in their country.

Historically, HIV/AIDS in had not been a huge problem in West Africa like it was in East Africa. However, the 14 years of civil war in Liberia particularly, caused the incidences of AIDS to skyrocket in the last decade.

Many of the local Liberians say that it spread because of the prevalence of rape among rebel armies during the war as well as cultural practices of polygamy among some of it's 16 ethnic groups.  This has made the HIV/AIDS in Africa spread west.

One of things that is significantly hindering the prevention of HIV/AIDS is social stigma surrounding the disease. Because a lack of education and knowledge, people generally have a fear of anyone with the disease.

In addition, because the culture is not used to using condoms, because of the publicity campaigns encouraging condom-use as a preventative measure for HIV/AIDS, using a condom has become equated as admitting to having the disease.

This is not even mentioning how those who are HIV positive are ostricized from their own families and communities. Many find themselves alone and homeless because they admit having the disease. I heard many stories of being abandoned and even being kicked out of their communities for admitting they have this disease.

Many who find out they are HIV positive persist in denial as they are having sex with multiple partners. Especially because HIV positive people very rarely start having tangible symptoms immediately, it's very easy for them to deny they are HIV positive, even to themselves.

Also, the severe social stigma of HIV/AIDS keeps people from getting tested in the first place. Who knows how many people live with this silent killer and are spreading it because they are too afraid of even getting tested?

These stigma's about HIV/AIDS in Africa is hindering the work. There needs to be avid education and awareness campaigns to fight against these. And they need voices in among their own people to send the message.

The Microenterprise Solution

When we asked them how we could help HIV/AIDS patients and the prevention of HIV/AIDS in Liberia, they responded by saying they needed microenterprise training and financing. Their answer astonished us.

They explained how they needed a sustainable way to help themselves long-term. The government of Liberia currently provides them with the anti-viral medicine to hinder the progression of the HIV virus for free. But they had to pay for second-line drugs for secondary infections like tuberculosis or pneumonia.

Most AIDS patients don't die from AIDS itself, but from their immune systems that are damaged by AIDS from fighting off secondary infections. They told us that some NGO providing free treatment sporadically will not help them in the long term. They said they needed a way to pay for it themselves and the only way to do that was through microenterprises.

Microenterprises would also help in the fight against poverty, which is the underlying reason why HIV/AIDS is spreading. Poverty fosters a lack of education, which is one of the main reasons why it's spreading.

In addition, for women and girls in particular, if they have to depend on men for their sustenance, they will be cornered into situations where they will be promiscuous just so they can eat and have a place to sleep.

If women and girls were empowered to take care of themselves through microenterprises, they would be less likely to be coerced into these situation, which can easily find a good breeding ground to spread HIV/AIDS.