Healthlink Worldwide

Partners - Mothers' Welfare Group

The Strengthening support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children affected by HIV and AIDS is being implemented by the Mothers Welfare Group, in collaboration with Healthlink Worldwide.

The Mothers' Welfare Group (MWG) was established in 1984 and works closely with both governmental and non-governmental organisations in Northern Nigeria. MWG provides services in all areas of rural development including education, health, water, sanitation, agriculture, agro forestry and women’s empowerment.

Their techniques and activities include music, drama and dance.

Schools programme
MWG started operating a non-formal school programme in 1995. These schools started under trees in order to direct limited resources on teaching instead of buildings. Teachers are trained by the local Ministry of Education who provided MWG with the necessary support when needed. MWG has a school health programme with the local government in the State. They work in 15 schools using the Child-to-Child approach in the classroom activities, and there are plans to expand further.

Support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
Through its schools and community work MWG noted that increasing numbers of children from HIV affected families were dropping out of school and being forced to work by their extended families after the death of their parents while others end up as street children or sex workers with no skills and at a greater risk of contracting the HIV virus themselves.

MWG is devising and implementing initiatives to deal with the growing number of AIDS orphans in Kaduna State, and the 'The Strengthening support for Orphans and Vulnerable Children affected by HIV and AIDS is one such project.

 
Working with women
The MWG through their work in the communities since 1984 are aware that women in the project area as in most parts of Africa are seriously disadvantaged in all aspects of life. Their inability to question their husbands or even discuss issues such as their health status and the use of condoms with them have contributed to their high rate of widowhood and early death from AIDS. The women and their children often have lowered immune systems due to poor nutrition, poor water supply, poor sanitation/hygiene and overwork.  HIV has a devastating and rapid effect on persons already suffering from poor health. The most marginalised group in this area are those affected by HIV/AIDS with women and children being particularly vulnerable.