Friends of AIDS Support Trust (FAST)

This community-led organization has been working in the Nsanje district of Malawi for nearly 30 years. The heart of their work never changes. They build meaningful, long-term relationships within their community to accompany people through their challenges and triumphs.

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FAST is a support system for grandmothers who are primary caregivers for their families. Caring for caregivers involves practical support like nutritional supplements, food parcels, medical check-ups and anti-retroviral treatment for family members living with HIV.

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However, equal focus of FAST’s programs is on emotional and social well-being. Staff and volunteers visit grandmothers in their homes and encourage them to stay connected with friends and engage in peer support groups. Women’s savings and loans groups offer a safety net and a springboard for income-generating ventures as well as an opportunity to gather. Outreach campaigns have shifted community perspectives on traditional gender roles and created awareness about older women’s rights.

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Winnie Kukhala has been volunteering with the organization since 1997. “[In the beginning] a lot of people were dying and leaving behind many orphans, so we came together for those needing support. We started helping with the orphans, and also those who were dying and bedridden.” Now a grandmother herself, Winnie cares for her five grandchildren while continuing to connect with others.

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                                                               The Stephen Lewis Foundation

                                                               October 2024