Women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Peru often face a combination of medical, economic, and social challenges that can be overwhelming to navigate alone, particularly when the disease has already claimed a spouse or parent, leaving remaining family members without a primary source of income or stability.
Hogar de Vida offers a comprehensive refuge for women and children in these circumstances, providing temporary shelter, healthcare support, meals, counseling, and occupational therapy, along with assistance navigating Peru’s public health system, a bureaucratic process that can be daunting for families already dealing with the stress of serious illness. The shelter also operates a food pantry and meal program that extends support to vulnerable families throughout the surrounding community, beyond just shelter residents.
Providing comprehensive shelter and care under one roof reflects the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the Life and Dignity of the Human Person, treating medical, emotional, and material needs as inseparable dimensions of a single human story. This ministry also embodies Maryknoll’s charism of holistic accompaniment, walking with women and children through crisis rather than addressing only the illness while leaving the rest of their circumstances unattended.
Gifts to this project provide shelter, healthcare support, meals, and counseling for women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in Peru, offering stability and compassionate care during a time of significant vulnerability.
