Providing health care to 1000s in Bujumbura slum

Note: Tomorrow, Friday, March 8, is International Women's Day. Global Giving is matching donations at 30% for donations up to $250. In other words a $250 donation will get a match of $75. The Friends Women’s Association has developed a special project for this fundraiser, Helping Girls and Young Women in Bujumbura Slum. We have a goal of $3,000 for this fundraiser. The matching funds will begin at 9:00 AM eastern time in the United States. The $10,000 of Global Giving’s matching funds may run out before the end of the campaign at midnight today so it is advisable to donate as early as possible after 9:00 AM eastern time.

To donate please go to https://goto.gg/38276.

ACTIVITIES

Rape Survivors’ Support (RSS)

One three-day trauma healing workshop was done on February 26-28, 2019 for GBV survivors.

Testimony

“My name is Zamda. I got married when I was only 17 years old. I have been married to an unknown man whom I have never loved. That man asked me to marry me when I was still very young and I refused. He then planned together with a woman we were doing business together. The woman told me that we needed to seek to put our business products in other markets. We went together and on our way she stopped and told me, “We need to enter thishouse. It is my new one”. She opened the door as she had a key. When entered together and quickly, she closed the door after me and ran away. At my surprise, I saw a man coming out from one room of the house. He was the one who had been proposing me to marry me. We started fighting, fighting and I cried and cried, but I could not find someone to rescue me. The man raped me and I blead a lot because I was still virgin. Afterwards I was ashamed to go back home because I was still bleeding and he had even thorn my clothes. I stayed in his house. Since that time I had serious problems in my private parts: vaginal flow (blood mixed with stink). After one month I realized that I was pregnant. And the man began to beat me every day. When I was seven month pregnant, he beat me until the neck of my uterus opened. Good people came and brought me to the hospital. All the years I have been married, I have suffered a lot: he beats me almost every day; he insults me. I sometimes go back home and come back to him because I’m no longer healthy. I’m now HIV positive; I have now stomachache, and I often have heart attack. I’m always full of worries, and I have no more strength to work for my children to survive.”

At the end of February 2019, 35self-help groups were functioning

On February 28, 2019, one self-help group “DUFASHANYE” shared their annual the money they have saved since February 23, 2019. For the whole year, they were able to save BIF 3.407.400. This means $1914USD.

Street Business School

In the month of February 2019, one session on street business was done

Caring for HIV Positive People (CHIVPP)

During this month of February 2019, medical follow up and home visits were done for our HIV positive people.

On February 20, 2019, there was a meeting with some of our HIV positive people beneficiaries. The main topics were observance and socio-economic empowerment.

One of our beneficiaries said, “When I’m coming to Ntaseka clinic, I feel as if I’m going to my parents. I weighed 30kg, but today I weigh 48kg. I’m a member of one self-help group. The self-help group approach has now taught me how to save the money I’m paid through working in fields”

Through Red Cross Burundi, nutritional support is still provided to our HIV positive beneficiaries.

Maternity Ward Building

In the month of February 2019, nothing new was added to our building project. We need to raise at least $20,000USD to continue with this project.

Improving Women’s Reproductive Health (IWRH)

FWA community health workers and FWA staff have continued to mobilize people for HIV voluntary test and family planning.

Action on Gender-Based Violence (AGBV)

There was preparation to conduct an external evaluation of this project since 2014.

Medical Team

CONSULTATIONS

91 cases were consulted by our medical doctors, including 22 children, 42 adults and 27 HIV positive people. 27 came for medical consultation and 5 came for medical follow up after they after they started ARVs treatment. The nurse received 344patients including 223 adults and 121 children.

LABORATORY

In the month of February 2019, apart from HIV voluntary testing, there were a total of 335 tests.

Test                            Test completed   Positive   Negative

G.E. Malaria test                137                56          81

Quick malaria test                20                13            7

ECBU  Urine test                 11                  9            2

Selles  Stool test                 22                 21           1

Pregnancy                          29                   9          20

Sero-widal  Typhoïd fever      51                 34          17

Glycémie  Diabetes               8                   5           3

RPR VDRL Syphillis            17                   0          17

Complete Blood Count         40                  15          25

                                     Total Tests: 335

FAMILY PLANNING

362 people received contraceptives from FWA’s nurse, including 274 old cases and 88 new ones. 316 received the contraceptive injection, 16 were given pills, 4 received implants, and 26 received male condoms.  

PRENATAL CONSULTATION (PNC)

In the month of February 2019, 35 women came for prenatal consultation (PNC), including 13 came for PNC 1, 6 for PNC 2, 7 for PNC 3 and 3 came for PNC 4. 

Anti-Retroviral SITE

At the end of February 2019, we had 297 patients under retro drugs followed at NTASEKA clinic, including 240 women and 57men.

PHARMACY

FWA had all necessary medicines for the month of February 2019.

PSYCHOSOCIAL TEAM

In the month of February 2019, a total of 339 people received pre and post HIV test counseling and were tested for HIV; 44% of them were women and among the 12 people detected HIV positive 10 of them were women with 4% of seropositivity.

Total Number of People Tested: 339

Total Number of Women Tested: 148

% of People Tested Who Are Women: 44%

Average Age:  27

Median Age: 26

Total HIV+ : 12

Total HIV- : 327

Number of Women HIV+ : 10

Total % Seropositivity: 4%

% of Women Tested Who Are HIV+: 7%