Rama Foundation donates weaving material to HIV/AIDS victims

Pusu-Namongo (U/E), Sept 16, GNA - The Rama Foundation, a charitable organization supporting People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and the most vulnerable in the three northern regions has donated weaving materials worth 50 million cedis to PLWHA at Pusu-Namongo near Bolgatanga.

The donation, which was received by Widows and Orphans Ministry for distribution to PLWHAs, was meant to help them undertake economic activities that would sustain them and enable them make a decent living instead of depending on others.

Founder of Rama Foundation, Hajia Ramatu Mahama, wife of the Vice President, appealed to Ghanaians to show more compassion to PLWHA since anybody could be afflicted with the disease. "Stigmatisation will not help, it rather deepens the wounds of PLWHA. Diseases like diabetes and hypertension even sometimes kill faster than HIV/AIDS but people who suffer them are not stigmatised like HIV/AIDS victims," she said.

She said one of the areas that could be explored to help victims was to empower them with income generating activities and to assist them with micro-credits to enable them to become productive. Hajia Mahama said government alone could not provide all the support for PLHWA and appealed to non-governmental organisations, individuals and religious bodies to come on board to enhance the productive capacity of PLWHAs.

She suggested they could be supported to go into areas like vegetable farming, sheabutter extractions and the handicraft industry since these areas did not demand heavy capital to start business. The Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Agnes Chigabatia, commended Rama Foundation for the donation to empower PLWHA and urged district assemblies and non-governmental organizations to support people affected with the disease, especially in income generating activities.