Background HIV/AIDS continues to deplete family resources leading to absolute poverty among PLHIV as the majority of our clientele in the rural Uganda earn less than US$1 per day. This is as a result of disease burden on bread winners; high treatment costs; unemployment; malnutrition; disability e.tc. Consequently, the above result into loss of property, child headed families, orphans, all of which make families experience extreme poverty.

Program description Since 2002, the health of TASO clients has significantly improved due to ART programme (TASO Silver Jubilee booklet 2012), hence prompting a paradigm shift to focus on alleviating poverty and hunger due to the direct impact they have on drug adherence and positive living in general. In mitigating the effects of social economic challenges faced by PLHIV, in 2006 TASO Uganda rolled out Sustainable Livelihood Programming through training in food security, income generation, Energy Saving Technology, promotion of good hygiene and capacity building in business skills and management. Projects such as goat rearing, bee keeping, horticulture, food production and processing have successfully reduced poverty and hunger levels among PLHIV, hence improved standards of living.

Lessons learnt

1. Sustainable Livelihood Programming ensures food security and income generation.

2. SLPs use small land for high productivity

3. SLPs can be practised alongside other income generating activities

4. The market for the produce is readily available

5. There is reduced malnutrition levels

Challenges

• The majority of our clients are tenants.

• Inadequate funding.

• Modern agricultural technology is expensive to apply.

Conclusion SLP helps to alleviate poverty, hunger and promote positive living among PLHIV, hence meet MDG 1&6.