The best way of understanding how we are making a real difference to people living with HIV/AIDS in Zambia is to see it for yourself. PEPAIDS offers this opportunity through the Kulyaaba scheme.

The Kulyaaba scheme gives people, be they students or professionals, the opportunity to spend a four week placement with SAPEP, our Zambian partner NGO. The four-week placement with SAPEP is the core element of the scheme but through our partnership with Monze Mission Hospital, we can also arrange attachments to the hospital for health professionals and students of health-allied subjects.

Helen Allen, founder and Chair of PEPAIDS explains how placements are crucial to the life and development of PEPAIDS:

“Life in rural Zambia is about as far removed from our western culture as you can get. The only way we can even begin to fathom that difference is to see it for ourselves. Witnessing real Zambian life, untouched by tourism, with its diversity of traditions and beliefs is a privilege that words can’t describe. Seeing the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on the Zambian people first hand brings the problem to life. What got my heart racing was the enormous potential there was for people to help themselves survive. SAPEP showed me how, even with limited resources, people could be empowered to overcome the impact of HIV/AIDS on their everyday lives. I found that just by using a few of my skills, I could help. In my case, doing a bit fundraising and telling others resulted in me founding PEPAIDS!

The truth is we can all help. We all have different interests and talents that can make a real difference to people in Zambia. Just by being there and showing an interest in what’s happening, visitors are an inspiration.

I have seen what can be achieved if lots of people are inspired. I founded PEPAIDS because I refuse to accept the notion that the problem is too big for us to resolve. I truly believe that together we have the resources to beat HIV/AIDS; they just need stirring into action!

The best way of doing that is to go there and enable everyone to have an experience that will change lives!”