Southern Africa, which is reeling from the impact of the severe HIV epidemic, has not been spared the effects of Global warming, which in turn have resulted in perennial droughts affecting most of the countries in the SADC region.

On a recent visit to a PLHIV garden project in Engela, Northern Namibia, it was established that over and above the drought which threatens food security, the region has also been subjected to flash floods which compounds the problem.
The garden project is the brain child of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia, Supported by LUCSA, which was established more than a decade ago to offer occupational therapy for recovering alcoholics and to supplement the food requirements of PLHIV. The garden is an orchard as well as a vegetable garden.

Ms. Tuyeni Kelao,a 38 year old single mother of an 18 year old daughter and a beneficiary of this project since 2005, has been living with HIV since 2000. She states that she is fortunate to be on ARV's since 2005 which have greatly improved her health status.

However she feels that she would be in a much better condition if only she could 'eat properly'. She has been unemployed since she fell ill almost a decade ago. It has not been easy for her to get a job, does not have land on which to grow food crops and has had to rely on the extended family and neighbours for support with food. This has not been easy in the last three years as the neighbours and family also have to struggle to get food as crops continue to fail (see picture 2)

There have so far been no deliberate government efforts known to her to support PLHIV in her area and at times the situation has been very desperate indeed, she says, reaching crisis levels.
Her HIV status and health condition do not make the situation any better as she is not able to carry out heavy work in the fields. “ If only I could do heavy work I'd be able to work and buy food for my family. Now I'm worried that our food situation may make my daughter to do things that will expose her to HIV in order for her to get food for our family.”
Ms Kelao is very grateful to Rev. Aune Shilongo Hamunyela, the project coordinator and LUCSA for all the support that they get. However, the project is able to sustain them during the rainy season only as they do not have a hosepipe to water the garden during the other seasons. LUCSA has given funds to train the beneficiaries in gardening skills as well as fund the purchase of seed and some implements. However there is still need to keep the garden going even during the non rainy months by way of providing a hose pipe.
At the time of our visit, late in April, the rainy season was long over and the bean crop was already wilting and dry ( see picture3)....... a very sad picture indeed