HIV/Aids is a terrible curse.  this is especially true in sub-saharan Africa where 80% of the world's pandemic exists.   It affects all ages and sexes and its effects are devistating.   It leads to the debilitation and often death of the vistim and casts a dark shadow over whole families, even areas. 
    Naomi (not her real name, but none theless areal person) has aids and so has the oldest of her two sons.   With her husband dead, she and her children  were ostracised by her husband's family, who blamed her for his death.   For her own safety she fled to Ngong, close to Nairobi, where she is forced to live in the slums, at least until she tries to re-establish her life.   
       Through a measure of Divine Interverntion she was introduced to Sister Stella.  Sr. Stella is a hard working,wiry woman, who has devoted a large part of her life to help others.  She is a member of the French order of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary.   She is doing a fantastic job working with a HIV/Aids support group there.  The group are teaching women to sew and knit with the hope that they will be able to develop a trade and generate surpluses from their efforts with which to support themselves.  They also make Liquid soap, which they sell to local people and businesses.  This is a profitable but small scale venture, with the some of the profits re-invested in developing the activitiy  and the rest shared among thee group.      
     This year we heard from Sr. Stella for the first time.  On a recent trip to Kenya, I visited her project and met some of the people involved in it.   Their request was for machines to expaand the training and for goats to sustain the victims and their families.   CAMEO-Aid noted their preference for machines at this time and awarded them a grant to buy 4 sewing and knitting machines.  From our part at CAMEO-Aid this was testing the water, so to speak.   If the money was spent on the intended equipment and we received proff of delivery and a receipt for the money spent on the equipment, together with some photos of group members using the machines, then we would consider that everything went well.  Everything went as planned and the machines were duly delivered in july 2010.  Now a total of 12 women will get training in the use of thee machines and will then go on to make uniforms for the local schools.  The income from the sale of the uniforms will defray the cost of manufacture and the residual will be divided with part going into future development and the rest going to the ladies.   It is with this income that they sustain their families and themselves.  
     Given the success of the project, it is likely that we will give them more support, probably to buy more machines and quite a few goats for the families of the victims of HIV/Aids. 
    The families who receive a goat, get a constant supply of rich milk, which keeps them healthy and helps them to fight off and delay the attack on their immune system.  When the goats are bred, the first born is donated to another needy family, who nurture it.  The cycle then starts all over again.   Very quickly, over the next three years and barring any illnesses and deaths among the herd,  the initial herd of goats would quadruple.  Not a bad return for the initial investment, so we think.  So future help to this group is likely, as is future imformation.
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What do you think of this?  Your comments will be welcome.