Mmata Tswana (My Partner) - Community Caregiver Support Groups to Improve ART Adherence Amongst Adolescents Living with HIV

The Mmata Tswana model is a community caregiver support group model which offers an opportunity for caregivers to:

• Meet, discuss and learn from one another about ART adherence and caring for adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV);
• Provide psychosocial support to one another;
• Offer general care-giving support to one another by, for example accompanying each other’s children for scheduled appointments, as well as assisting them with treatment as necessary; and
• Create a community of knowledge about adolescents’ treatment and health needs to minimise the risks associated with loss to follow-up when a caregiver is unable to take care of an adolescent. 

Click here to download the brief.

Schools that care: A review of linkages between children’s education and care

This report by Family for Every Child suggests that a lack of access to quality education is a key cause of inadequate care. Some groups of children are more vulnerable than others to inadequate care caused by a lack of access to education. These groups include children with disabilities, girls, children living in poverty and displaced, refugee, migrant and minority groups.

The report presents the key findings of a scoping study on the links between education and children’s care. The study involved a literature review in English, French and Spanish; key informant interviews; and consultations with 170 children, carers, teachers and other stakeholders in Guyana, India, Russia and Rwanda

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HIV Stigma: Perspectives from Kenyan Child Caregivers and Adolescents Living with HIV

Stigma shapes all aspects of HIV prevention and treatment, yet there are limited data on how HIV-infected youth and their families are affected by stigma in sub-Saharan Africa. The authors of this research conducted a qualitative study using focus group discussions among 39 HIV-infected adolescents receiving care at HIV clinics in western Kenya and 53 caregivers of HIV-infected children.

It was found that despite the high prevalence of HIV and increasing access to HIV-related services, HIV-infected adolescents and caregivers in western Kenya describe an environment in which HIV/AIDS-related stigma remains a major part of everyday life for HIV infected and affected individuals. These findings are critical to inform next steps and to move toward ending HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination.

Click here to download the full research report