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One of the critical pieces of our work is outreach. We go into the disadvantaged communities surrounding Lusaka to meet people, talk about HIV, raise their awareness, and test them. A lot of people still do not know their HIV status and are scared to go to a clinic and get tested. TTF’s outreach services bring the safety of our clinic into the communities. Clinics can be intimidating, and most people feel comfortable in their own home and familiar surroundings. Our team of social workers and volunteers work closely with communities to identify people or groups that would benefit from HIV awareness and testing. We talk to people in their comfort zones, on a personal level, and discuss the importance of knowing their status. Since the beginning of 2019, TTF provided HIV awareness and testing to 6,737 people through our outreach programs. Out of that number, 62 tested positive, and of those 21 were 20 years old or younger and/or pregnant, and therefore enrolled at our clinic and provided with medication and psychosocial support. Those who are above 20 years old or not pregnant are referred to the nearest government clinic. For those who tested negative, they walk away with a greater understanding of HIV and how it is prevented and/or managed. More importantly, they are willing to be tested in the future, and they are likely to share this knowledge within their community. Information is powerful, and through our outreach services, we aim to provide as many people as possible with accurate information about HIV. The donations and support we receive to conduct these activities go a long way in helping people understand the importance of testing. Thank you to everyone for your continued support!
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Adolescents are often overlooked, and many HIV interventions are not tailored to their specific needs. With support from Egmont Trust Funding and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Small Grants, TTF received funds to work within key compounds in Lusaka to develop programs that provide tailored, supportive, and safe spaces for adolescents to receive the HIV care, treatment, and support they need. Through the Egmont Trust Funding, TTF will create youth-friendly spaces that promote HIV awareness, sexual reproductive health, and psychosocial therapy with age-appropriate interventions. The PEPFAR Small Grants program will enable us to use football coaching sessions, community school football coach training, football for health tournaments, community school outreach, and routine care for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWH) at the TTF clinic as a medium to reach more than 3,180 young people to increase HIV awareness, improve life skills, and create a supportive community environment for young people. We are excited to take some of the lessons learned from the TTF Clinic, where we provide supportive HIV learning environments for young people, and develop these skills in the community. Many of these interventions have been supported through donations from private individuals. Your donations help us refine our approaches so that we can scale them up and partner with big donors to reach more people.  In May 2019, TTF USA Board Members Colleen Lindner and Michelle Meade spent two weeks at the TTF Zambia office. In anticipation of their trip, they raised over USD$2,000 through a GoFundMe campaign to revamp the nutrition program and take the staff out for a much-needed one-day staff retreat. Thanks to this support, 25 undernourished children and their families received nutritional support for three months. Read more about one of the beneficiaries of this initiative here. We also spent a lot of time working on a three-year strategic plan for the organization. The team took time to reflect on the vision and mission of TTF and how we want to move forward. It’s very exciting to recall where TTF has come from, how much it has grown over the years, and most importantly, the changes we have made and will continue to make in the lives of our clients. The process culminated in a one-day staff retreat. It was a fun and reflective day for staff and the board, packed with practical exercises and fun games to help build relationships and help staff see the value of each person in the team and how improving communication can help improve teamwork and lead the team to achieve results. We also took time to appreciate some of the very hard-working staff. Our cleaner and office help, Patricia, got the award for the most hard-working staff in 2018, and our Deputy Director of Programmes and Operations, Justin got the award for the longest-serving TTF member of staff. Hearty congratulations to both!
We are so grateful to the many people who have supported TTF and continue to support our work. Your donations make a real, meaningful impact on so many lives. Through your generous donations, we are able to provide a complete package of medication, nutrition, counseling, and social support for entire families. Thank you!
Peter was ill, malnourished and so weak that he could not walk without support. He tested positive for HIV and was enrolled in the Nutrition Programme right away, which provided a food package every two weeks to his family. The food package consists of mealie meal (a national staple of grounded maize), cooking oil, sugar, eggs and fruits. After being on the programme for 3 months, Peter gained 1.5kg (3.3 lbs). He continues to receive HIV treatment at the TTF clinic and noticeably happier. He feels happy coming to the clinic and says hi to everyone. It costs only USD$276 to provide nutritional support to a family for three months, but makes a lifetime difference in ensuring the health and stability of children who need good nutrition to tolerate their HIV medication. |
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