International donors help Malawians affected by HIV/AIDS

Malawi’s government is teaming up with international organizations and faith-based groups to help people affected by HIV/AIDS.

The IMPACT programme is a four-year, $13 million USAID-supported project being implemented by international NGOs, as well as local Catholic health commissions. The programme aims to improve the wellbeing of over 58,000 orphans and vulnerable children, and improve access to treatment and care for over 41,500 people living with HIV.

“Malawi has a fairly substantial HIV epidemic,” says Antonia Powell, Deputy Chief of Party for the IMPACT programme with Catholic Relief Services (CRS). “The prevalence amongst adults aged 15-49 is 12% -- so it’s quite a high prevalence.”

CRS and alliance partners are matching the USAID funding for the programme, and have so far given an additional $14 million in cash and support.

“We started in late June, early July, so we’re definitely still in our infancy as a programme,” Powell told Vatican Radio. “The one activity that we’ve been able to make substantial progress on is the enrolment of over 800 children for secondary-school support.”

Listen to Antonia Powell’s full interview with Kelsea Brennan-Wessels on IMPACT: