Introduction
The support group and counseling sub-committee was initiated in August 2000. The support group is facilitated by a clinical psychologist Shahieda Abrahams.

Why the need for a support group?
Within the Muslim community there is a lack of psycho-social support, in the form of psychotherapy, counselling and family counselling for Muslim people infected and affected by HIV & AID’s. The support group operates within a broader Muslim context, whereby majority of the Muslim community including some of the Muslim leadership  perceive HIV & AID’s to be a punishment from god for living an immoral lifestyle and because people have sinned.

The broader Muslim community appear to adopt an attitude of judgementalism, prejudice, and ignorance towards people living with HIV & AID’s  (PWA’s). The PWA’s not only have to deal with their own issues regarding their HIV+ status but also have to deal with certain false perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and ignorance within the community. Disclosure of their status thus becomes more difficult for fear of not only broader societal rejection, but also total condemnation within religious circles and their families.

The support group therefore attempts to provide a safe, supportive, and containing space for PWA’s to share their feelings and experiences. It also offers a non-judgemental, compassionate and an Islamic framework within which PWA’s can share the difficulties and challenges they face living within a community. 

Other Counseling Services Provided 
Individual Counselling: is provided for individuals who prefer support on an individual basis rather than in a group. 

Family Counseling: is provided upon request from the family of the infected person. Often the family has difficulty dealing with the disclosure of a family member’s HIV+ status. The family needs support, counseling and psycho-education regarding HIV & AID’s.

Couple Counselling: counselling and support is provided for the couples whereby both partners are HIV+, as well as when only one partner is infected. 


Bereavement Counselling: when an infected family member dies, the rest of the family often experience feelings ranging from sadness to anger, guilt, self-blame, shame and depression among other feelings associated with death and dying. Bereavement counselling is provide for the family.    


Other Forms of Support
Home based care is provided to people who have reached the last stages of their illness. Volunteer members of Positive Muslims also assist with the ghusal and janazah of the deceased.h

Positive Muslims network with other organisations, like the Zakah Fund to provide food parcels for MPWA’s who are too ill to work or are unemployed and have difficulty in finding work.

Self-Empowerment Projects: PWA’s are taught skills which helps them to start projects such as bead making and glass making. These projects help them to earn some money and become self-sufficient