- Title: CHAD: Restaurant hires HIV positive staff to break stigma
- Date: 8th September 2010
- Summary: N'DJAMENA, CHAD (RECENT) (REUTERS) MAN IN RESTAURANT BEING SERVED A DISH ON THE TABLE MORE CUSTOMERS AT RESTAURANT CLIENT EATING MANAGER COMING OUT OF RECEPTION AREA AND GOING TOWARDS THE RESTAURANT (SOUNDBITE) (French) RESTAURANT MANAGER, ZENAIBA GOSSINGAR SAYING: "At the beginning I was a little afraid of the people living with HIV because people tell all sorts of
- Embargoed: 23rd September 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Chad
- Country: Chad
- Topics: Health
- Reuters ID: LVA3XNDTNPH0P60QSDTQHVYVSYOT
- Story Text: At a restaurant in Chad's capital N'Djamena, getting a good meal is just as important as promoting a healthy society.
The Halou Nadif, or in Arabic "Delicious and Clean" has a workforce made up of mostly HIV positive staff. The strategy was deliberate and is aimed at getting clients to feel free about interacting with people carrying the virus.
Halou Nadif was started by the Association of Social Marketing in Chad (AMASOT) a public service NGO that specializes in public health. AMASOT sponsors distribution of condoms, free HIV testing and conducts campaigns to educate people about diseases like HIV/AIDS.
The restaurant, where the cooks, waiters and waitresses are HIV positive, was started in 2007 and the manager says regular clients have increased steadily, which is good for business but also good for the employees to help improve their lives in a setting where they are accepted as equals.
"At the beginning I was a little afraid of the people living with HIV because people tell all sorts of stories. But it's a long time we've been working together now. It's like a family, we have become a family. It's team-work, we share our problems, the difficulties in our lives and everything, and anyway, I am feeling OK, I don't have any complexes, I feel okay," said Zenaiba Gossingar, the restaurant's manager.
The restaurant has eight employees, five of whom are HIV positive. It is located near a football stadium, which provides a steady stream of hungry clients looking for a hearty meal from their African dish menu.
"First of all it's the location, so I save time, but also it's the availability of the dishes, and the food is proper, the people who are serving are clean. No, it doesn't bother me (their HIV status), there has been a lot of sensitising, they informed us that it's not in the food that you can get the AIDS virus, and those serving us are people like everyone else, they are simply ill, so we're also there at least to support their initiative so that they can move forward," said Gilbert, a regular at Halou Nadif.
HIV/AIDS has been subject of widespread stigma all over the world since it's discovery in the 80's. Although research and education about the disease has broken down stigmatization over the years, some people who don't know enough about the disease still see it as taboo.
In Chad, there are still cases where carriers are abandoned by their families, friends and communities as soon as they're found to be HIV positive.
It has forced many to hide their condition for fear of rejection, keeping them from getting counselling and life prolonging treatments, which are provided for free by the Chadian government.
Staff at Halou Nadif feel that their work has given them a chance to work and show others that they are like any other member of society, and this has made them feel better.
"As I was sick, the association (AMASOT) suggested that I come work as a cook at Halou Nadif. Today my situation is clearly improved. Before I came to work here I had a lot of problems, and I was physically very weak," said Mbornodji Joanna, who is HIV positive.
"I was thinking all the time, but now that I work here, I have what to eat, I also have a bit of money which allows me to look after some of my needs. So I'm not thinking about this as much as before, as I'm feeling better physically," she said.
Chad, has a population of about 10 million and in 2005 research showed that HIV prevalence was at 3.3 percent. In areas like the south of the country, which is host to around 50,000 refugees from the Central African Republic, the prevalence is at 9.8 percent. The east and north of Chad, not far from the Sudanese border, is less affected by the disease.
Restaurant manager, Gossingar says she has learnt so much about the disease from this initiative that she feels responsible for her employees' health.
"I talk often with the young girls, seeing as they are sick, they also have to go see the doctor, go to their check-ups, and all that, so I supervise that. I make sure they do, so that they can take their medicines every time, and they don't forget and miss their meetings with the doctors and all that," she said.
Chad has suffered decades of insecurity and conflict, making any efforts in the fight against AIDS low on the list of priorities for the government. A lack of health workers and uncertain funding delayed efforts further, but the government recently started to take action.
About 3.32 million U.S. dollars was put aside for HIV/AIDS education and ARV drugs by the government in 2007 which was raised to 4.52 million U.S. dollars a year later, in a country where despite vast gold, uranium and oil resources, 64 percent of the population live under the poverty line.
Aid agencies have also made serious funding available for various projects fighting HIV since 2002. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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