Today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day. The theme this year is all about raising awareness to tackle HIV prejudice and help stop the spread of HIV. SURF’s new HIV+ Survivors Integration Project (SIP) funded by Comic Relief encompasses that work.

Whilst in Rwanda on my current visit, we met Domatilla, one of the future beneficiaries of the programme and a member of AVEGA Western Region. Our videographer, Andrew Sutton, filmed this short interview with Domatilla, translated by SURF programme manager, Jude Tibemanya, where she explains further about the challenges as an HIV+ widowed survivor.

As Jude explains (at 5:30), Domatilla had the goats that had been given to her stolen, which till then had been of great value in helping to generate a small income as well as providing manure and milk, of benefit to her and her four children.

For the past two years, AVEGA in the Western Region has not had the resources to re-establish that livestock project, but with the new funding from Comic Relief, as well as additional funding from an international coalition of funders, Charities Advisory Trust in the UK, Inspire!Africa in Canada, and Foundation Rwanda in America, we are confident that we can help Domatilla, and more HIV+ widowed survivors like her.

You can help make that possible, as well as support other SURF programmes which address areas of priority of our partners, such as access to higher education for young survivors, by donating to our 2011 Appeal.

As ever, we thank you for your support.