Since 2001, Senegal has offered free antiretroviral (ARV) therapy to HIV-positive patients. Yet many patients interrupt or stop treatment due to the cost of treating related infections and the frequency of check-ups needed to monitor their progress.
USAID has launched an innovative pilot project to encourage HIV-positive patients to continue ARV treatment. The project not only increases access to health insurance and care, but also promotes financial sustainability by offering business loans to vulnerable individuals. This is achieved through a locally-managed fund that serves as a guarantee for the loans and compensates the insurance groups for extraordinary costs associated with HIV care.
Kadiatou Ndao is proud of her sacks brimming with baobab and jujube powder. In just three years, she has marketed enough powder pounded from dusty fruit kernels and berries to quadruple her profits.
In southeastern Senegal, baobab seeds were once believed to be a useless byproduct of a locally grown fruit. The fruit was eaten and the seeds merely tossed aside.
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