Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's SECURE THE FUTURE® Programme Announces New Findings Confirming Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS (GAPA) Has Positive Impact on Mitigating HIV/AIDS Impact in the C

Cape Town, South Africa (ots/PRNewswire) -

Survey finds empowerment programme helps 57 percent of
respondents reduce socioeconomic impact of HIV/AIDS by providing
tools to reduce poverty and emotional burden of disease

New research presented today at the first Africa Regional
Conference on Gerontology and Geriatrics concluded that Grandmothers
Against Poverty & AIDS (GAPA), a nonprofit grantee of the
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's SECURE THE FUTURE(R) programme, has
been a driving force in empowering grandmothers whose families have
been affected by HIV/AIDS to cope with the emotional and economic
demands of caring for their families.

For most of Africa, poverty is prevalent and increasing,
especially in rural areas. Several studies have explored the link
between poverty and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and suggest that,
especially in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a strong association
between socio-economic disadvantage and increased susceptibility to
HIV/AIDS amongst this population.[1]

While multigenerational households are the norm in rural
Tanzania, the burden of caring for children is usually shared by all
members of the family. When a child's parents die, the responsibility
falls to the surviving grandparents. Findings show that grandmothers
and grandfathers who join the group most likely need support to look
after their grandchildren.

The GAPA study, which was based on 301 questionnaires
administered in Swahili to 45 grandmother groups in three districts
of Tanzania, found that GAPA members benefited from higher
self-esteem and saw lower levels of poverty and stigma in their
community as a result of the community-building, psychosocial support
and income-generating activities that are part of the GAPA programme.
The questionnaire focused on demographics, perception and the impact
of peer support groups on quality of life.

Researchers particularly noted the impact peer support had on
overall self-esteem. In addition, nearly six in 10 respondents (57
percent) reported earning money as part of a grandmothers group,
while about three-quarters (74 percent) said participating in a group
improved teamwork and cooperation.

There are an estimated 1.4 million Tanzanians living with HIV.
About 160,000 children are living with HIV and over 1 million have
been orphaned by AIDS.[2] According to the GAPA study, 72 percent of
group members reported that someone in their household died from
HIV/AIDS in the past 10 years. Grandmothers, who are often faced with
stigma and increased levels of poverty and isolation, have become an
essential source of support to these children who have lost their
parents to HIV/AIDS.

Recognising the critical connection between poverty and HIV, GAPA
aims to combat poverty among the grandparents through sustainable
entrepreneurship skills to improve their livelihood.

"Poverty in the rural communities is a real issue for people
living with HIV/AIDS, but it is also the support that the community
members can give to each other that really empowers them, "said
Kathleen Brodrick, director of GAPA. "For the grandmothers who have
been impacted by HIV, our work has really made a difference in their
lives. Even just after one year of being part of a peer support
group, grandmothers universally cited participation, interaction with
peers, friendship and caring as more important than making money
through income-generating activities."

Empowering grandmothers to influence the policies and conditions
affecting their families and communities was a key goal of Tanzania's
National Ageing Policy of 2003, says Rose Japhet Mkonyi, director,
Kifaru Community Development in Tanzania (Kicodet) and co-author of
the GAPA study.

"Grandmother groups that were introduced to the Tanzanian
National Ageing Policy of 2003 learned that speaking out on issues
affecting themselves and their communities was their right by law,"
Mkonyi says. "Through the process of empowerment, there was an influx
in the number of older people requesting meetings with local
authorities."

"GAPA has made a tangible difference in the lives of its members
and the community," said John Damonti, president, Bristol-Myers
Squibb Foundation. "We are committed to providing care and support
for communities affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and look forward to
the continued growth of GAPA. We are proud to see the sustainability
of this programme and to see it replicated in Tanzania, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Kenya and other parts of Africa."

About Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS (GAPA)

GAPA resulted from operational research supported by
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's SECURE THE FUTURE(R) and undertaken
by the University of Cape Town Centre for Gerontology to assess the
impact of HIV on the elderly. GAPA encourages grandmothers to be
leaders of their community and to educate their families and speak
openly about HIV/AIDS. With support from their peers, group members
develop practical skills, such as how to generate income for their
families, and foster their creativity, self-confidence and
problem-solving abilities.

The programme has continued to grow and, in 2008, partnered with
the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's SECURE THE FUTURE(R) Technical
Assistance Program (TAP) to expand its outreach to grandmothers
across Africa. For more information about GAPA, visit
http://www.gapa.org.za.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation and SECURE THE FUTURE(R)

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3)
charitable organisation whose mission is to reduce health disparities
and improve health outcomes around the world for patients
disproportionately affected by serious diseases. For more information
about the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, visit
http://www.bms.com/foundation.

SECURE THE FUTURE(R) is Bristol-Myers Squibb's flagship
philanthropic programme that provides care and support for
communities affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. Over the past 13 years,
the programme has funded more than $160 million in programmes in 22
African countries, with special emphasis on community treatment
support programmes, care for children and building infrastructure.
For more information, visit http://www.securethefuture.com.

References

[1] Mbirimtengerenji, ND. Is HIV/AIDS Epidemic Outcome of Poverty
in Sub-Saharan Africa? Croat Med J. 2007;48:605-17

[2] UNAIDS. "UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic." 2010.
Available at http://www.unaids.org/GlobalReport/documents/20101123_Gl
obalReport_full_en.pdf

Accessed 10 October 2012.

VIUK12NP093, Date of preparation: October 2012

ots Originaltext: Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Media Contacts: Joanna Ritter, +33(0)1-5883-6509,
joanna.ritter@bms.com