CHATA has been providing ARVs and care for persons infected with HIV/AIDS, as funds allow. The photo above shows Maria with her daughter Nangini. Maria's husband was a watchman in the city, where he contracted HIV; subsequently infecting his wife also. Their three children are HIV positive. Two of their children have died along with the husband, from HIV/AIDS; and Maria died in 2007 from HIV/AIDS. Nangini is left a lone orphan, and is HIV positive. Nangini receives ARVs from CHATA and we are in the process of identifying a family to adopt her.

Nandiga (above), is HIV positive, age 32, and lost her husband and four children to AIDS. Their poverty/malnutrition and poor housing contributed to their speedy deaths. CHATA is supplying Nandiga with ARVs and she is improving in health. CHATA is also renovating her house—though with limited financial resources.

Teresa (above) carries her young sister Magdalina. Their parents received ARVs, but too late, and have died from HIV/AIDS. Teresa and Magdalina are not infected, but they were very emaciated from malnutrition. CHATA has provided them food and hope.

The above women have been treated with ARVs. Most have lost their husbands to HIV/AIDS. Most of the husbands were watchmen in the cities and brought HIV to their wives. These women are also taking care of their own children and struggling to provide their own income through either tilling the land and selling small agricultural products such as tomatoes or bananas, or as casual laborers. CHATA has been providing ARVs and nutritional information to these women. They have put on weight as a result of the ARVs.

Yeyoo (means "mother" in local language) lost six children and seven grand-children to AIDS. Yeyoo is now alone with no income. Her children used to take care of her, but they are now gone due to AIDS. Her house is falling apart, so CHATA is trying to renovate her house, provide some food supplies and clothing.

Anitha is an orphan girl, not HIV positive. CHATA is looking for ways to get Anitha into an extended family, to supply her basic needs. Anitha lost all of her own family to AIDS. When CHATA gets Anitha into a family, CHATA will also help to supply some of her needs and pay for her enrollment into school.

CHATA tries to integrate orphaned children into extended families of their own clan, so they can live with known family members, if possible. In most cases, they live with grandparents.

Studies in sub-Saharan Africa demonstrate that growing up in a family environment is more beneficial to a child than an institutional orphanage, which is now considered a temporary option or a last resort. Most people believe that orphans should be cared for in family units through extended family networks, foster families and adoption, and that siblings should not be separated.

Makida and her two brothers. The two boys are HIV positive, but Makida is not. All three are orphans and Makida is taking care of them, as a working mother at age four. Because they cannot live on their own, CHATA is trying to get a family willing to accept them, then CHATA will supply some of their needs and pay for their education.

There is so much need and CHATA has no resources.

CHANGES THROUGH CULTURE

CHATA has a unique strategy to reverse the AIDS crisis among the Maasai people; through creating awareness of the issues involving AIDS by communicating through their own cultural structures. This will enable them to be the agents of their own change.

CHATA needs qualified staffing in the field and financial resources to effect these changes; and to care for those afflicted with HIV/AIDS and those orphaned from this crisis.

You can make the difference.

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