BACKGROUND
The Ambassadors of Hope Network of people with HIV/AIDS abbreviated as ANEPHA+ was established on 6th March 2003 by a group of HIV positive people with a common idea of reducing the rate of deaths of People Living with HIV/AIDS after seeing frequent unavoidable deaths. Most of the deaths occurred due to; inadequate supply of drugs to cure opportunistic infections, poor nutrition, lack of knowledge on how to live positively, psychological problems, poverty, stigma and discrimination. By that time People living with HIV/AIDS were receiving treatment for opportunistic infections at no cost from various organizations caring for people living with HIV/AIDS. Due to the significant increase of People Living with HIV/AIDS seeking medication, these organizations were later unable to provide services for those in need. It is there where we saw a threatening death toll in front of us, and we decided to fight for our survival by any means. This led to the founding of ANEPHA+.
WHERE ARE WE?
ANEPHA+ office is located within Arusha Municipality north Tanzania. Arusha Town is located on the slopes of Mount Meru near the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. The weather of Arusha is very cool to cold most of the year. People come to Arusha from various regions searching for a better life because Arusha Region is also home to many mining sites of precious stones such as Tanzanite, among others. Arusha is also the tourist center catering for the Ngorongoro crater, Serengeti, Manyara, Tarangire, Arusha National parks and Mountain climbing for Kilimanjaro and Meru. The Arusha International Conference Center (AICC) makes the City an International Center due to its hosting of many multinational and regional forums. The former President of the United States of America Mr. Bill Clinton, during his visit to Tanzania in 2000 was so impressed that he had to call Arusha the “Geneva of Africa” because of peace dialogues involving East, Central, and South Africa which have been taking place in Arusha. Arusha is also the headquarters for East African community (EAC). Truly enough, if you visit this town you will see how busy it is.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
Home Based Care services
In 2007 ANEPHA+ through CARF support established a Home Based Care team of Providers who implemented home visits. This has been an exemplary HBC in Tanzania implemented by PLHIV. HBC providers rendered services pertaining to physical, mental, spiritual and social needs of the clients. During home visits; fruits, nutritive flour, soap and others were supplied to the needy.
Promoting Living positively with HIV
Group therapy sessions meetings are conducted weekly in all branches for the purpose of encouraging one another, sharing experience and facts about being sero positive, also members are encouraged to disclose their sero-status as self disclosure is the entry point to living positively.
Poverty alleviation
ANEPHA + has succeeded to establish a poultry project with 200 layers.