When you buy a necklace, you are contributing to the survival of a family of 14 affected by HIV/AIDS in Bamenda/ Cameroon.
Family Set up: Imelda 42 years old, trained nurse, single mother of 2 (all 3 HIV negative)
2 HIV+ orphaned single young mothers with 2 children too young to be tested
5 HIV+ orphaned children below 15 years (4 girls 1 boy) in primary school
1 HIV+ abandoned secondary school 3rd year student (girl)
1 HIV+ abandoned University 1st year student (girl)
Imelda’s family of 3 (herself and 2 children) has rapidly grown to a large family of 14 persons in three years due to the adoption of 9 other children among whom 2 have recently given birth to 2 girls.
The orphans have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS and are also infected. The abandoned girls have lost their mothers to HIV/AIDS and the fathers are too poor to take care of their ill-health and the wellbeing of these girls. The girls in the quest for food, shelter and education had fallen prey to the HIV/AIDS pandemic through unsafe sex imposed by the rich Sugar Daddies.
After infecting the girls, the Sugar Daddies equally abandoned them. Mama Imelda (as she is fondly called), became their only source of hope and survival.
How the family is sustained; The philanthropist Imelda resigned from her nursing job because of low pay ($40/month) and embarked on artwork. She now teaches the 6 elderly children to make necklaces and bracelets from imported beads. They work everyday from 7 am to 6.30pm, putting in 11 ½ human-hrs/person/day for 6 days a week.
The younger children, who cannot do the artwork with Mama Imelda, go out to weed gardens, transport fire wood or farm crops for rich families in other to earn a meal or 300FRS/day ($0.75) which they bring home.
Revenue from the sell of necklaces and bracelets which is the core business of the family, is used as follows
- Food for feeding 12 persons is $4/day x 30 days x 12 months = ($1.44)
- Organ survey and CD4 control tests for 9 PLWHA ($288/year)
- House rents and electricity bills ($20/month)
- School fees, books and uniforms for 5 children ($260/year)
- Other health needs of the family ($150/year)
- Cost of Chinese Beads 5kg/month at 15000f/kg = 75.000 FCF ($150/month)
- Twine and thread about 8500frs/roll of 100m long= 8.500 fcfa ($17/month)
This family does not have a bank account. They live on a Hand-to-mouth basis and during school periods, expenditure exceeds profit so Imelda has to borrow Beads at a higher cost just to provide for her family.
Three children will not go back to school this academic year because of poverty and high cost of school needs. The extra income Imelda will get from the sales of the necklaces in the US will raise the overall living standard and make sure the three children will be able to go to school as well. |
