Project Sunflower
Project Sunflower is a community support initiative of Bethesda Life Centre that provides holistic care services for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). Since its inception in 2001, the project focuses on medical care and guidance, children’ s educational support, nutritional food assistance, psychosocial counselling, and home-based care while also working toward improving healthcare accessibility for vulnerable communities.
Our Impact
Over 4500
women have been supported
200
annual home visits conducted across North and South Goa
12
annual meetings organized
2211
total meeting participants
15
new clients admitted
210
monthly grocery support provided to beneficiaries
Awareness programs
conducted in various communities
Skill training
programs conducted
Monthly Meetings and Awareness Programs
Project Sunflower conducts monthly meetings and awareness sessions covering topics such as:
- HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention
- Gender-based violence
- Domestic violence awareness
- Women empowerment
- Personal hygiene and health
- Legal awareness and women’s rights
- Nutrition and healthy food habits
- Skill training opportunities
- Human trafficking awareness
The project also commemorates important awareness days including International Women’s Day and World AIDS Day.
Future Plans
Project Sunflower aims to further expand its services through:
- Establishing a paramedical support facility
- Expanding nutritional support programs
- Increasing home-based care visits
- Skill training opportunities for women affected by HIV/AIDS
- Strengthening community awareness to reduce stigma and discrimination
Home Visits and Hospital Assistance
The project fieldworkers regularly visit beneficiaries in their homes to provide counseling, encourage treatment adherence, and ensure proper nutrition and care.
Support is also provided at Goa Medical College Hospital ART Centre, assisting beneficiaries with:
- Collecting medical reports
- Doctor consultations
- Prescription and medicine collection
- Treatment guidance
- Health check ups
Project Sunflower provides monthly nutritional grocery supplies to vulnerable beneficiaries to support their health and immunity while undergoing treatment.
Food supplies distributed include:
- Rice
- Atta (Wheat Flour)
- Dal
- Toor Dal
- Sugar
- Rava (Semolina)
- Cooking Oil
A total of 210 beneficiaries received grocery support during the financial year 2025–2026.
Distributed micro business loans of Rs. 10,000 to 56 women for self sustainability
- A Doctor attends the monthly meetings and carries out medical check ups for those in need
- This happens in the beginning of every monthly meeting
- Under Project Sunflower, regular Outpatient Department (OPD) services were conducted for beneficiaries at the centre. The project doctor regularly monitored the health condition of the clients, including blood pressure, weight, general health status, nutritional condition, and other medical concerns. Regular health assessments helped in identifying illnesses at an early stage and ensured timely medical intervention for the beneficiaries.
- Free medicines and supplementary support such as vitamins, iron tablets, calcium supplements, protein supplements, and other nutritional support were provided to the beneficiaries to improve their overall health, immunity, and physical wellbeing. The medical support services particularly focused on improving the health condition of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), many of whom faced financial difficulties in accessing proper healthcare and nutrition.
- The doctor also counseled the clients on the importance of regular intake of prescribed medicines, adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), maintaining personal hygiene, proper nutrition, and healthy lifestyle practices. Beneficiaries were educated on preventive healthcare measures to reduce the risk of infections and other health complications associated with weakened immunity.
- Beneficiaries requiring further medical attention were guided and referred to Goa Medical College and Hospital and other government healthcare facilities for advanced medical assistance, laboratory investigations, specialist consultations, and treatment. The project staff also assisted clients in accessing government healthcare schemes and follow-up medical services whenever required.
- Health counseling sessions were regularly conducted on preventive healthcare, nutrition, sanitation, mental health, stress management, medication adherence, and management of opportunistic infections. Awareness sessions also focused on reducing stigma and discrimination related to HIV/AIDS and encouraged beneficiaries to lead positive and healthy lives.
- The project additionally provided emotional support and psychosocial counseling to help beneficiaries cope with stress, fear, depression, social isolation, and family-related challenges. Counseling services encouraged confidence, emotional wellbeing, self-care, and social inclusion among the beneficiaries.
- Home-based follow-up support was also extended to sick, elderly, and bedridden clients whenever necessary to ensure continuity of care and monitoring of their health condition.
Beneficiaries Reached
- Every month, approximately 90 to 110 beneficiaries received support and benefited through the medical services, counseling sessions, nutritional assistance, and healthcare activities conducted under Project Sunflower at the centre.
Project Sunflower conducts regular awareness and educational programs for beneficiaries and communities covering:
- HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention
- Women’s rights and legal awareness
- Personal hygiene and health education
- Gender-based violence awareness
- Domestic violence prevention
- Nutrition and healthy lifestyle education
- Anti Human trafficking awareness
These educational sessions aim to reduce stigma, improve awareness, and empower vulnerable individuals and families.