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AIDSLink Nepal Small Business Training

Thirteen people gather around tables littered with laminated posters, coloured paper, and marker pens. It looks like fun, but for the men and women in the room this is serious business – literally. Every one of them is either HIV infected or affected, which makes it difficult for them to earn a living. Today’s activities are part of a small business training program that will hopefully teach these men and women how to run a business to support themselves a nd their families. Two of the attendees are being trained to run this program in India and Nepal, passing on the skills they are learning here today.

Small Business Training

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

During the last two weeks of August some members of the HIV support group in Nepal will be trained in starting small businesses. Health challenges and stigma make it very difficult for them to find and keep employment.

If they don’t have employment they can’t afford to eat properly and their health declines further. We hope that this training, which teaches them to start a business with just a few dollars, will empower them to earn enough to live off, and eat properly thus breaking this cycle of ill health and poverty.

Transformational Training

“This training was transformational”, said one of the 29 participants at the recent AIDSLink Facilitators’ Training held in Malaysia. It was especially encouraging to hear this comment as it came from someone with a lot of experience, who has been involved in HIV and AIDS ministry for many years.

Participants came from 15 nations for this intensive seven day training. This brings to over 100 the number of Facilitators’ AIDSLink International has now trained.

The Channels of Hope Facilitators’ Training enables participants to go out and make a difference by conducting HIV workshops, further involve themselves in HIV and AIDS ministries and start new ministries. One participant shared, “I came to this training with a very big dream for an HIV and AIDS ministry, this has helped me crystalize my thinking and look to God in greater way”.

We are looking forward to hosting our first Spanish language Facilitators’ Training later this year in Ecuador.

Nepal HIV & AIDS Support Group

A very difficult situation is taking place in the HIV support group. Many people are sick, in spite of being on HIV treatment. Two sisters on the sponsorship programme are both very sick and their parents are also not well, especially the father.

Zambia

Living with HIV in Zambia.

Alvaro* from Brazil, has been HIV positive for 13 years. He recently made a trip to Zambia to participate in a conference. He had many chances to share his story of how he has come to the point where he can live positively with HIV.