Many emerging countries like Uganda, Malawi and Zambia talk in terms of employment rates—which may range between 3 and 10 percent—rather than unemployment rates. Formal workplace opportunities are few and highly competitive. Most people rely on more informal types of income generation for their livelihood: selling fruit, vegetable, home cooked items or hand-made items such as beads, knitted sweaters and scarves, or other crafts. Local partners or patient associations provide opportunities for clients to take small seed loans to begin entrepreneurial activities to feed and support their families.

Nutritious food is very important for HIV positive people. HIV impacted families and patient associations grow individual and community gardens which feed their families and provide income through the sale of produce, which help sustain the gardens from year to year.