N70,000 cash was given to each of the 87 beneficiaries as seed grant after an assessment of the viability of their business plans.
Society for Family Health (SFH) and the Taraba State Government have empowered 87 indigent persons living with HIV/AIDS in the state.
The Director of SFH's Lafiyan Yara project, Aisha Dadi, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday in Jalingo.
She said the empowerment scheme was executed in Bali and Sardauna local government areas of the state through the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) training and cash support.
Mrs Dadi said the two-day training in Bali and Gembu brought together beneficiaries selected using treatment outcomes of their children in the health facilities where they access Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
According to her, N70,000 cash was given to each of the 87 beneficiaries as a seed grant after an assessment of the viability of their business plans.
"The two-day training, which took place in Medical and Health Care Hall, Bali, and Mambilla Baptist Hospital Hall, Gembu, empowered indigent parents and caregivers of children living with HIV in the State," she said.
"This initiative is aimed at addressing critical issues such as missed appointments for ART, medication pick-up and refills among children living with HIV due to lack of funds for transportation or nutrition challenge among children enrolled into ART, which often leads to suboptimal adherence and unsuppressed viral loads.
"The training sessions, conducted by the dedicated project team and the State Ministry of Health - State AIDS and STI Control Programme (SASCP), capacitated disadvantaged members of the community on the details of VSLA.
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"Some of the details include the methodology of VSLA, constitution formation, formation of business strategy, management of funds to improve business capital and profit, savings and collection of loans, among many others," she said.
Mrs Dadi further noted that the training also provided a platform for the caregivers to receive information on ART treatment and the literacy needed to support their children to adhere to the lifesaving treatment.
According to her, a total of five associations were formed and registered with the Ministry of Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation of the State with the support of SFH.
She said the project empowered 60 beneficiaries from Jalingo, Zing, Gassol and Wukari local government areas of the state.
