In newsletter no. 35 (2016), Maresi Rehder recalls an older woman in the HAART programme who was caring for five grandchildren. Alongside regular treatment, she faced worries about her family and how to make ends meet.
A therapeutic counsellor visited her repeatedly and gradually gained her trust. He helped her apply for support grants for the children. The Brotherhood of Blessed Gérard also provided food parcels for the family. Rehder reports that the grandmother later felt much better and that visits were eventually needed only once a month.
Her story shows why support in the HAART programme went beyond providing medication. The newsletter gives neither her name nor her later life story. The date shown here refers to the newsletter issue, not a particular home visit.
Source: Newsletter no. 35 (2016), p. 6.