Indonesia: Hunger resulting from HIV/AIDS
Jayapura Support Group
Jayapura, Papua Province
Indonesia
The sparsely populated province of Papua, with about 2.5 million people, has the highest prevalence of HIV in the archipelago of Indonesia – some 30 times the national average.
Awareness about HIV/AIDS among the people in the city of Jayapura is growing, but there are still many stigmas attached to caring for persons living with AIDS. Those suffering from AIDS are often marginalized and left to die by themselves.
The Jayapura Support Group is a loosely organized volunteer organization begun in 2001 for the purpose of caring for those living with HIV/AIDS in the Jayapura area. It is made up of 10 volunteers, mostly health care workers, who visit and provide care for those living with AIDS. All volunteers have day jobs and visit patients outside of their work hours. Currently JSG serves 73 people in their home care program. In addition to the home care program, JSG runs a shelter for persons living with AIDS whose families will not or cannot care for them. The shelter houses 1 to 6 people at any given time.
The goal of the program is to increase the quality of life- physically, socially, and emotionally- for persons living with AIDS and their families in the greater Jayapura area.
The following services are offered to the 73 people living with AIDS and their families:
- 10 volunteers visit patients every 3 days to every 2-3 weeks, depending on the stage of the patient’s disease.
- Nurse volunteers provide ARV medications, basic medications, and health supplies and help with use of medications.
- JSG volunteers distribute nutritional supplements to patients and their families.
The Rice Raiser portion will be to provide rice and eggs for this program.
- $38.00 will provide rice for one person for six months.
- $22.00 will provide eggs for one person for six months.
In partnership with Mennonite Central Committee British Columbia
