In the heart of Lima, Italian priest Father Zeffirino Montin has created much more than a treatment center, he’s created a ‘hogar’ or home. Hogar San Camilo is an oasis of care for HIV-positive parents and their children where they receive counseling, treatment and sustenance in a community environment.

“Health is not just having medical or technical experience,” says the Italian priest, “Health is being able to feel that your own life is developing. The HIV discourse, the life discourse is very important.”

What started as a community center has become a place where people can also receive treatment. In 2004 with Global Fund support the center started to offer antiretroviral treatment. Today more than 1,200 families with at least one HIV-positive family member receive help from the hogar and the waiting list is long. Baby-sitting services are on offer while parents attend therapy sessions and there are toys and a playground for children to enjoy.

Father Montin would also like to be able to treat HIV positive children: “We already provide medical health care, counseling and other activities for kids with HIV, wouldn’t it be more convenient and effective to keep families together not only during counseling but during treatment as well?”

Families assisted by the center receive a basic food basket including lentils, fortified flour, oil and powdered milk. Breastfeeding increases the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission and women are advised not to nurse their babies but give them infant formula instead. The powdered milk provided by the shelter helps support child nourishment without increasing the risk of HIV transmission.

To compensate for the contact that would naturally occur through breastfeeding classes are given in how to strengthen the union between mother and child. Boni, an obstetrician at the center says they are helping the mother and baby bond, as well as extending the feeling of inclusion to the whole family:

“This time around they came alone, but we also work reinforcing family participation from the husband and all those near them. So that the baby feels he is not coming into an empty world but into a family world where everyone awaits him anxiously and where he’s welcome.”