Our partnership with Power of Love

Zambia, a peaceful country in Sub-Saharan Africa, has a high prevalence of HIV infection. Over 1 million children have been orphaned in Zambia, most due to HIV and AIDS. Many orphaned children live with grandmothers, aunts, or in child-headed households who have little or no source of income. Matero is one of the largest and poorest areas in Lusaka, Zambia with a population of 250,000. Most residents live below the extreme poverty line (less than $2 per day), and the community has an unemployment rate of nearly 40%. Poverty only exaggerates existing obstacles in accessing sufficient health services for those that need it most. 

One Day’s Wages partnered with the Power of Love Foundation to provide life-saving health care services to 400 HIV+ orphans and vulnerable children in Matero, Zambia. Children were provided food, medicine, regular health check-ups, psycho-social counseling, medication training, monitoring, and health education. Family members were provided training on basic hygiene and caring for an HIV+ child. In addition, the program counseled family members on getting tested for HIV and starting medication, both of which are critical to the prevention and spread of HIV. The high-quality of care provided through this program supports improved child health, both increased attendance and performance in school, and a healthier, self-reliant family, which has a long-lasting impacts on the whole community.