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Country: South Africa  

Organisation involved: Lefika La Ka  

Target population: Children living with HIV 

Strategy: peer-to-peer education, household contact tracing and home vists 

Partner: Lefika La Ka with support from Aurum Institute and PATA 

Introduction 

For many children living with HIV, the challenges they face extend far beyond the clinic. Poverty, unstable housing, and family stress can make it difficult to stay on treatment. In South Africa, a coordinated community response helped transform the life of a young boy living with HIV. 

The Challenge 

Tuli is a 10-year-old boy who acquired HIV at birth. When community members from Lefika La Ka visited his home, they discovered he was virally unsuppressed and had missed several clinic visits. 

The family was living in severe poverty. Food was scarce, the house was in poor condition, and Tuli had dropped out of school. These challenges were affecting both his health and his future. 

The Community Response 

Lefika La Ka organized a community dialogue bringing together multiple partners, including: 

• Community Health Workers 

• The Department of Social Development 

• The Department of Basic Education 

• Local community advocates 

Together they worked with the family to identify solutions. The team provided counselling, linked the family to social services, and coordinated support from government departments. 

The Result 

The intervention led to several important changes. Tuli was temporarily placed in the care of his father where living conditions were more stable. His HIV care was transferred to a new health facility and follow-up visits showed that he was adhering well to treatment. The family also received additional support including social grants, food assistance, and help to return Tuli to school. Through coordinated action, the community helped restore stability in Tuli’s life and improve his health outcomes.  

Why This Matters 

Children living with HIV often face multiple challenges that affect their ability to stay on treatment. This case demonstrates how community-led engagement and coordination between health services, social services, and education systems can improve outcomes for vulnerable children. 

What Other Programs Can Learn 

Programs aiming to strengthen AHD responses for children should consider: 

• Household visits to identify barriers affecting treatment adherence 

• Coordinated responses involving health, education, and social services 

• Community dialogues to address family-level challenges 

• Linking community monitoring with service delivery improvements 

Related Resources 

• AHD Community Connector Toolkit 

Paediatric AHD Training Materials