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Positive Health Programme Throughout Africa, the number of people suffering from HIV/AIDS is increasing and international donors are focussing assistance to developing countries in alleviating the devastating impact of this illness on their people and economies. Prevention of infection by this killer disease is as easy as it is ‘difficult’ – don’t have sex without a condom or know the HIV status of your partner and yourself and either wear a condom or be faithful. Sadly life is not so simple.
The number of people becoming infected increases daily, including the innocent small children and babies who have no say in the matter. However, becoming HIV-positive does not mean that life is not worth living or that death by AIDS is inevitable. A positive approach to nutrition and health will reduce the risk of AIDS developing.
Research has identified the minerals and vitamins which actively enhance the immune system and which fruit and vegetables will provide the highest levels of these in the diet. All horticultural units have enough spare land to provide space for a Positive Kitchen garden to grow these specialist vegetables and fruit. Many farms also have a canteen and could utilise the Positive Kitchen garden to ensure that staff increased their intake of these essential minerals and vitamins and thereby promote health. Real IPM Kichozi Farm’s 'Positive Kitchen Garden' In June 2006, Real IPM began work on developing a ‘Positive Kitchen Garden’ to provide nutritional food for the farm canteen in order to boost the health of workers. Crops chosen were those known to be rich in specific vitamins and minerals, known to support the immune system, particularly for those suffering from HIV.
Several of the new crops grown are not normally part of the local Kenyan diet (beetroot, rhubarb, chillies, aloe vera etc) or not purchased frequently due to the high cost of these items (particularly fruit). The farm canteen chef uses all fresh produce from the Positive Garden to create appetising meals, which have become a familiar and enjoyable menu for staff, who have now overcome their reluctance to try novel foods.
The planting programme was designed to produce enough food for both the canteen lunch time meal and for staff to take home fresh fruit and vegetables every week, sufficient for their families’ needs. The labour for the Kitchen Garden is provided free of charge by the Kitchen Garden Club Members (50 staff) who contribute labour as needed in their own time. Their contributions are recorded and the harvest is divided between staff in proportion to the hours contributed. The crop production and crop protection programmes are based on sound organic principles and employ biological, physical and cultural controls. Compatible, least toxic pesticides are only used if necessary and only as spot treatments. Liquid fertilisers are made from the leachate produced by worms in a vermi-culture unit. Conventional compost is made from crop waste to re-cycle nutrients and organic matter into the soil.
In conjunction with the local Thika Nursing Home Hospital, Real IPM provides VCT Counselling as well as regular health checks for staff. Condoms and ARV drugs are available from Thika Nursing Home who work with Real IPM to promote health awareness amongst staff. USAID support and dissemination Real IPM’s initiatives have been supported by the USAID KHDP programme run by Fintrac Inc. The donor-funded programme will publish a Positive Kitchen Cook Book, Garden Manual on how to grow, protect, harvest and store the produce grown. This information will be made freely available on the Real IPM website www.realipm,com
The Real IPM Positive Kitchen Garden is a Farmers Field School were companies wishing to adopt this programme can learn how to do this both in the field and in the kitchen. Business interests Guidance on self-help for HIV Positive staff is of direct benefit to employers and industry as it promotes a positive attitude to the future in staff and can help alleviate the financial impact of HIV/AIDS on businesses such as:
• Decline in labour productivity / efficiency
• Increased cost of health care for staff
• Increased sick leave and sickness benefit payments
• Absenteeism
• Premature death
Real IPM offers the following training courses of value to industry:
• Introduction to Positive Health Programme
• Design and management of Positive Kitchen Gardens
• Design and management of Positive Menus for farm canteens
Open days for Human Resource managers for large companies as well as managers of hospitals and schools are provided to stimulate interest in the benefits of Positive Gardens and Positive Kitchens
For more information contact info@realipm.com
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