The Impact of Hiv/Aids on Poverty At Household Level: The Case of Two Kebeles In Addis Ababa
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Date
2005-06
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
This research has focused on assessing the impacts of Human Immunodeficiency
Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) on poverty at household levellVith
regard to issues related to challenges being faced by affected IlOuseholds and individuals. A
survey lVas conducted Oil 100 households and 50 orphans, three focus group discussions, and
illtervielVs lVith key informants from relevallt organizations ill two kebeles of the Addis Ketema
sub-city. Emphasis lVas put 011 examillillg the nature of the problems the house/lOld faced
whell the breadwinner is ill/die. Thus changes in income and expenditure patterns, onfamily
structure, amI coping strategies of households was analyzed.
The study has confirmed that the major problem of HIV/AIDS affected households which
aggravate their poverty was lose of income. The majorities of the victims are unemployed,
sOllie stopped working because of illness amI some of the ullemployed revealed tlUlt they lVere
discriminated ill some organizatiolls since they were asked a results of HIV test to be recruited.
In addition, most of the households do 1I0t have access to basic facilities such as housing and
other relatell facilities like water and toilet with ill the dlVellillgs. As a result, households
affected by HIV/AIDS need access 1I0t only to care and support but also to the means to
maintain an illcome and pursue alternative livelihoods.
HIV/AIDS gellerated various types of households such as female headed, gralldmother
headed, child headed, and dissolved households. Women are fOll/ul to be more vulnerable to
HIV/AIDS maillly due to social, economic and cultural influellces imposed 011 them. Since
they cannot work in many types of jobs like men, HIV positive 1V0mell go to charity
orgallizations before being ill. 74.3 percent of the clients (If the specific NGO ill the study area
arefoulld to be 1V0men. They are also foulld to be abused by their husballds to the extent that
they were forced to make sexual intercourse against their lViIl by HIV positive husbands,
become pregnant and give birth to HIV positive child.
The main copillg strategies used by HIV/AIDS affected households are searching assistance
from a charity organization, selling assets amI using previous savings, dispersing siblings,
retllming to parellts' home, and using holy water. The majority of the affected households
cope with HIV by searching assistance from charity orgallization, though the support they get
lVas not adequate to fU(fi1 even the basic needs. A significant number of households dispersed
the family member to various extended families such as grandmothers, aunts and uncles.
Because of lose of income, some lVidolVed women relurlled 10 parents' home lVith their
chi/dren.
The major problem of HIV/AIDS affected households and individuals is shortage of income,
as a result of which they lack basic necessities. Thus it is recommended that the finaneial
assistance flow in the name of HIV/AIDS should properly reach the affected and infected
individuals and households, and Antiretroviral drugs should be made available so that the
infected individuals get them easily.
Key Words: Impact, Poverty, HIVIAIDS, HOl/sehold, [ncome, Expenditure, Coping strategy
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Keywords
Impact, Poverty, HIVIAIDS, HOl/sehold, [ncome, Expenditure, Coping strategy