The cry of Malawi reflects deep poverty and a skyrocketing rate of HIV infection. The government of Malawi has mounted a serious response to the pandemic, which brings significant commitments from international partners such as the Global Fund, the World Health Organization (WHO), Doctors Without Borders, and evangelical missions including SIM. And now there’s personal hope at the local level—thanks to Partners in Hope (PIH).

Several years ago, an SIM doctor, Perry Jansen, began training church people in Lilongwe, the capital city, to provide home-based care to AIDS sufferers. That small start led to Partners in Hope, which now offers a comprehensive menu of strategies for combating HIV and AIDS. One of those strategies is “Action for Behaviour Change,” a youth-focused AIDS prevention program that reaches nearly 1,000 students every week. Abstinence based “Anti-AIDS” clubs exist in secondary and primary schools throughout the Lilongwe district. “Wings of Hope,” an HIV prevention program, airs weekly on national radio.

The PIH Medical Centre opened in late 2005. Here free HIV testing and counseling is available to anyone on a voluntary, anonymous basis. Every month, 3,000 people who are ill with AIDS receive compassionate care, regardless of their economic status. PIH is the second-largest provider of antiretroviral medications in the central region. And it is one of the few ministries providing care for children infected with HIV. Central to PIH’s strategy is training and equipping Malawians to lead the work of the clinic. This training is also available to medical workers from other parts of Malawi.

Partners in hope! Bringing hope to Malawians who might otherwise suffer and die alone, neglected and forgotten.