The Way Forward

In the face of the ever escalating humanitarian crisis caused by HIV/AIDS Batanai is at this moment going through a transformation that will see it becoming stronger, bigger and more vibrant organisation that will be able to reach out to a much wider community in Masvingo town and province.

Fuelled by the late Auxillia Chimusoro’s example Batanai’s resolve is to fight HIV/AIDS tooth and nail is getting stronger and stronger.  The fire that Auxillia handed to us at Batanai has to be kept burning brighter and brighter.

The Crisis

Zimbabwe one of the most beautiful country in the world today find itself in the middle of a serious crisis caused by HIV/AIDS

More than 30% of the Adult population is HIV positive
More than 35% of the pregnant woman are HIV positive
About 12% of all children are HIV positive mostly due to sexual abuse by HIV positive men.
Over 59% of new infections is now in the Youth aged between 15 and 24 years.
Around 3000 people die of every week due to AIDS related illness.
The figure of orphans mainly due to AIDS related illness.
The figure of orphans mainly due to HIV?AIDS will soon reach 1000000 Increasing poverty and rising sexual abuse of woman and children worsen the situation.
Is there hope at the end of the dark tunnel?

HIV = Hope Is Vital

Faced by this catastrophe the first step is to have hope. In the spirit of hope the Zimbabwe government, local and international NGOs, institutions, companies groups and individuals are fighting hard to win the war against HIV/AIDS.

Batanai HIV/AIDS support group finds itself at the fore front of  bitter  struggle against HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe

The first HIV/AIDS support group in Masvingo province and one of the first in the country, Batanai was started in 1992 in the Rujeko T/ship  of Masvingo town by the late Auxillis Chimusoro, one of the first persons in Zimbabwe to come out in the open about her HIV status. Batanai is Shona word for ‘UNITE’

Through the courageous guidance of Auxillia Chimusoro Batanai survived the violent storm of stigma, discrimination, ridicule, poverty, sickness and death to firmly establish itself as a source of hope for people living with HIV/AIDS in the community of Masvingo town while assisting people living HIV/AIDS in other district to start their own support Groups.

It is Batanai which gave birth to the Auxillia Chimusoro Masvingo Provincial Network of People living with HIVAIDS Now a Provincial Chapter of Zimbabwe National Network of people living .with HIV/AIDS(ZNNP+). Now the ACMPNP+ now boasts of well over 480 support groups.

To see the defeat of HIV/AIDS by Zimbabweans united in LOVE, CARE and SUPPORT.

To actively participate n the fight against HIV/AIDS by  providing , love, Care and Support  to both the infected and affected while embarking on efforts to wipe out infection and stigma.

Programmes

• Home Based Care: looking after the terminally sick in the community.
• Orphan Care: Looking after children orphaned by AIDS
• HIV/AIDS Awareness raising and prevention towards total behaviour change
• Positive Living: Positive management of HIV/AIDS
• Income generating projects: To sustain members and the group
• Youth: Assisting youths in their income generating and HIV/AIDS prevention programmes
• Adult literacy: To improve the literacy of members