Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Roma (Agenzia Fides) - HIV/AIDS increases poverty and poverty spreads AIDS. The is noted also in Tanzania, one of 21 developing countries where the development rate dropped between 1990 and 2001. AIDS effects every area of development including productivity because many patients have to leave their work, others stay at home from work to look after patients without assistance. HIV/AIDS strikes not only the health of a country but also its economy making the whole nation more vulnerable and dependent.
To alleviate poverty, six months ago in Dar es Salaam, Caritas Tanzania in collaboration with Caritas Padova (in Italy) and CUAMM, (Italian association of Doctors with Africa) launched a project “Micro-credit against Poverty & Aids for Tanzanian Opportunities” which it called MAPATO, mapato means income in Swahili. The aim is to help 1000 poor women and 60 poor families devastated by AIDS to open start a business. Already loans have been given to about 300 women organised in small groups in various parts of outer Dar es Salaam.
Mapato is not only a funding programme it also fights AIDS in two ways: one because the loans are given also to persons who are HIV+ sent by Pasada, a local NGO working to provide assistance and treatment to HIV/AIDS patients; and two because many of the women it assists come daily into contact with the reality of HIV/AIDS. Development today depends increasingly on women, nevertheless in many parts of the world women are still badly treated, poorly paid, abused and marginalised. Every day two thirds of the world’s work is done by 828 million women. Domestic work represents between 10% and 35% of the gross domestic product, but it is neither recognised nor paid. In the third world women provide 70-80% of health assistance and produce three quarters of the food available. On them depend the life and future of children, assistance to old people, the sick, the handicapped.
The Catholic archdiocese of Dar es Salaam comprises the administrative Region of Dar es Salaam and some coastal provinces. It has a population of 4.5 million and 80% live below the poverty line. (AP) (22/4/2004 Agenzia Fides; Righe:31; Parole:412)
