Husband and wife William and Marjory from Zambia were diagnosed as HIV positive in 2002. They are now receiving life-saving Anti-Retroviral (ARV) drugs which enable them to live healthy, productive lives and to look after their four children.

 “I feel great!” says Marjory. “When we were diagnosed we were quite sick and feared the worst, but within four to six months of starting the ARV treatment were back to normal. As you can see we are now healthy and happy and we are able to provide for our children.”

Irish Aid is a major donor to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The Global Fund is working in partnership with the Governments in Zambia and other developing countries to enable poor people such as William and Marjory to access life-saving ARV treatment.

Over 50% of Zambians with living HIV are now on ARV treatment and the number is expected to rise to 60% by 2010 (UNAIDS).

Irish Aid supports development efforts on a national level in nine partner countries:  Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.

Manager of a Home Based Care enterprise for people living with HIV and AIDS in Chipata, Lusaka - credit Thomas Bellew

With Irish Aid's support:

The number of Ugandans living below the national poverty line has fallen to 31% of the population, compared to 56% in 1993;

Primary school attendance in Mozambique increased by 75% from 2000 to 20005. In the same period the primary school completion rate doubled and the numbers of students in secondary, vocational, and technical education tripled;

Grain production in the famine prone region of Tigray in Ethiopia has doubled.

If you’d like to find out more call into the Irish Aid Volunteering and Information Centre on Dublin’s O’Connell Street.

Photo by Daniel Rowan