With a focus on the project to contribute to the social and economic development of vulnerable families, the Irmãs Maria Imaculada center, located in the province of Cabinda, cares for 147 children with HIV-AIDS, but the biggest gain, according to the coordinator, Marta Tembo, is the fact that they contributed to more than 700 children being born free from HIV-AIDS
The proliferation of HIV-AIDS is a sad reality in the country, and all efforts and help have been little in terms of testing and monitoring, but still, when it comes to children, the congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate has spared no effort. . Founded in 1955, in Cabinda, by Dom Paulino Fernando, the congregation’s emphasis is on community care and support focused mainly on helping disadvantaged women and children.
Currently, the center controls 147 HIV-positive children and, according to the coordinator, Marta Tembo, thanks to the work carried out, more than 700 children of HIV-positive mothers were born free of the HIV-AIDS virus.
“We have already had 720 children free from HIV-AIDS in our center”, said Marta with a face expressing joy, last weekend, when her institution won first place in the 1st edition of the ‘Prémio Manuel da Mota – a life for Angola’, with the allocation of 500 million kwanzas.
“These children are monitored from birth to two years of age, who leave without the virus and go with their mothers, into the family environment. But many children are orphans and others are rejected by their parents, and these are also welcomed at the center until they reach adulthood. Right now, we have more than 200 resident children,” she says.
The project has a cutting and sewing training center, homemade soap making, an HIV-AIDS reception and testing center and a school for children from pre-school to 6th grade. The congregation works tirelessly to reduce the level of malnutrition in Angolan children, with the production and distribution of a nutritious porridge they call “ndiquila”.
