CHANGING LIFE THROUGH FURAHA YANGU AND NAWEZA INTERVENTION (INTEGRATION)

On April 2021, during Furaha Yangu small group session at Igwachanya village
(Igwachanya ward) from Wanging’ombe district Community Health Worker (CHW)
Ester Mlowe met with group of beneficiaries. Among the group participants, there
was a beneficiary named Tekla Ngole aged 27 years old, who was invited by CHW
to join the group. By that time, she had one (1) month old pregnancy. Tecla lives with
her partner, despite being pregnant, she had not started attending antenatal clinic.
Her life background was complicated as she used to work as a bar maid, and she
was smoking and taking alcohol. She also had sexual affair with multiple men.
After discussion in the group concerning HIV issues about getting tested and
treatments as well as the importance knowing the status, Tekla Ngole started to
change her mind and receiving more knowledge, by the end of the session she
asked Ester more questions concerning the discussion to understand. She later
decided to attend the clinic session in order to protect herself and the unborn child.
She went further and convinced her partner to go with her at the nearby heath facility
for HIV testing and other pregnancy related services.
Tekla asked Ester Mlowe to escort them at the health facility at Igwachanya so they
can receive the service and be able to receive the health services. Therefore, they
were escorted at Igwachanya health center and they met with health service provider
who helped to provide counselling and able to get tested but unfortunately Tekla and
her partner both tested HIV positive and they were counselled to start ARV treatment
as soon as possible especially to the pregnant woman so she can prevent the
transmission from her to the unborn child.
By that time Ester Mlowe - CHW started to cooperate with them closely for help and
providing knowledge whereby in several weeks later she invited them at Naweza
Small group session whereby she enlighten them with pregnant and childbirth
package and receive information on Mother and Child Health (MCH) educations as
well as Reproductive Health (RH) whereby Tekla and her partner received
information like keep attending pregnancy clinic session at least 8 contacts or more,
seek for health services at health facility, taking SP pills to prevent effects of malaria
to the unborn child, using of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) every day and lastly
insisting her to adhere on ARV in order to prevent the HIV transmission from her to
the unborn child.

Until now Tekla is in a good health expecting to deliver a healthier baby, she is
happy to know her health status and luckily her partner giving her a hand on every
step and there is a good progress and she abandoned her old life style, and focus on
a new life to make her baby a good life and she even appreciated the messages she
received from Ester Mlowe at early days concerning HIV testing and treatments
because that was a very start of this changes and encourages other beneficiaries to
seek for this education so they can be changed and moved from one life to another.