Bedford Congregational Church HIV/AIDS Project

South Africa

Bedford Congregational Church is a local congregation of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA), which has a strong partnership with Global Ministries.  Formally established in 1967, UCCSA has a rich history that began more than 200 years ago.  Today, the UCCSA is comprised of some 300,000 members, and nearly 300 congregations in the five southern African countries of Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. 

The reality of the HIV/AIDS pandemic now permeates every facet of existence in southern Africa, with some 22 million individuals currently infected there.  Southern Africa accounts for 35 percent of new HIV infections and 38 percent of AIDS-related deaths worldwide.  In the nation of South Africa, 15-20 percent of adults are infected with the virus.

The Bedford Congregational Church of South Africa is seeking funds to provide care, support, and education to those in their community who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.  Through their nonprofit organization, Bedford Congregational Church HIV/AIDS Project, they have developed a plan to provide community members living with HIV/AIDS with the following services:

• Home-based care including bathing, wound care, physical therapy, and medication monitoring
• Proper nutrition through food parcels and/or a soup kitchen
• Education, awareness, and support related to HIV/AIDS including treatment options, financial assistance, support groups, and other community resources
• Job-skills training to generate a source of income and restore a sense of dignity, accomplishment, and personal growth

Volunteer caregivers will be trained in home-based care and provided with a small stipend.  Among the outcomes expected from the program are patients who are well cared for and have extended life spans and improved quality of life.  Additionally, community members living with HIV/AIDS, including the families and caregivers, will be empowered with care and treatment options, receive needed sustenance, access new income-generation opportunities, and feel less isolated and stigmatized.