WABHA to challenge AIDS

A new network was launched yesterday for women who suffer from HIV/AIDS.
The network addresses issues of Women affected by HIV and AIDS (WABHA ) is the first of its kind officially launched at the National Research Institute.
The launch marked the beginning of a network of women who want to be involved in creating change and taking leadership in important issues affecting their lives and the lives of their families.
WABHA was set up specifically to address the issues on stigma and discrimination, violence against women and other issues related to HIV/AIDS in the community.
Maura Mea, a facilitator of WABHA said, the group had been formed by HIV positive women over the past year to create a supportive environment to talk and share experiences, ideas and issues of interest or concern among women living with HIV.
She said that many of the women were unemployed mothers with low literacy who are often struggling to raise their children and keeping them in school sometimes single-handedly.
The group will create a communication strategy to disseminate information widely, especially in rural areas and increase the capacity of core women at a provincial level.
They also plan to involve the government and non-Government organisations (NGOs) to provide services such as proper nutrition and education for orphans and vulnerable children.
WABHA is affiliated with the Igat Hope Foundation and has core working groups in Mt Hagen, Madang, Lae, Alotau and Port Moresby.
WABHA is also supported by NRI and the National AIDS Council and was funded by USAID at a cost of K11,000.