Though much has been accomplished in recent years to make HIV/AIDS drugs universally available, poverty and malnutrition continue to undermine treatment effectiveness. HIV/AIDS treatment consists of an intensive, multi-drug regimen called anti-retroviral therapy (ART), which is very taxing on the patient’s body. Doctors recommend that individuals infected with HIV/AIDS increase their caloric intake by up to 50% and consume diverse nutrients in order to sustain the energy necessary for the drugs to work. Unfortunately, the majority of people infected with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa have limited means to acquire the quantity or quality of nutrients needed for effective treatment.

Malnutrition not only increases drug side effects but also limits their absorption and effectiveness. It also weakens the immune system, hastening disease progression. HIV/AIDS, in turn, limits the labor productivity of infected individuals, pushing individuals and families further into poverty. Though not a substitute for ART, good nutrition helps people infected with HIV/AIDS to stay healthy longer, adhere to drug therapy, and maintain a better quality of life. Most nutritional support programs for HIV-positive individuals provide short-term food aid. We believe that this long-term disease requires a long-term approach to nutritional support.

Gardens for Health International (GHI) aims to enable people living with HIV/AIDS in Rwanda to develop a sustainable means of nutritional support for themselves and for their families. GHI provides a unique program that complements the country-wide availability of ART: legal support to form cooperatives, land advocacy, home gardens, seeds and tools, training in sustainable agriculture and nutrition.