The Community Work Programme (CWP) team met with Oonagh O’Brian, an international academic from Edinburgh, to help her understand the social pressures that exist at the different CWP sites which influence those people living with HIV. Reducing food insecurity, gender inequality, and improving the livelihoods of many disadvantaged people were topics of discussion that the CWP team expanded on.

It was generally felt that people in underprivileged communities require technical support and education in order to reduce the spread of HIV, and this is where the programme plays a large role.

Duncan Stewart, Managing Director of Lima, added to this saying that CWP provides a job safety net for a wider range of participants, helping them earn their wages and gradually assisting them to move up the employment ladder.

It was discussed amongst CWP facilitators that although HIV infected people may comply with antiretroviral (ARV) treatment; it will not be successful without the regular intake of food. "CWP provides solutions to these problems by creating linkages between our food security activities and home based care. While our home based care facilitators tend to sick people within their homes, our food security sector helps maintain homestead gardens within the same vicinity," said facilitators during the discussion.  

Gender inequality may enhance gender based violence in many communities, and as a result, it was discussed how important it is that this disparity be disposed of. Fikile Nxumalo, from Teba Development, described how the CWP has helped to alter the stereotypical perceptions of gender appropriate jobs. “People are taking pride in the fact that they can maintain a job through CWP which makes them less selective. Men are now choosing to do home based care or helping out at crèches and a large number of women are coming forward to do work in the field of construction,” said Mrs Nxumalo.

Oonagh O’Brian was impressed with the discussions from the meeting and believed that the Community Work Programme, without doubt, assists with contributing to the decline of HIV infected people at a national level.  She also raised a suggestion that further research could be done in order to statistically monitor the success and socio-economic impact of the programme.

The Teba Development and Lima Team in discussion with Oonagh O'Brian	Oonagh O'Brian visits the Sibusiso Orphanage in Msunduzi, which is supported by the CWP	Sibongile Mabaso (far left) and her mother, Thandazile (middle) show Thulisile Mbhense,   their flourishing homestead garden	Sibusiso Orphanage was identified as a vulnerable creche. Now, CWP caregivers have been trained to look after the children