ABSTRACT: Madwaleni Hospital is situated in a deeply rural area of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, serving a catchment population of approximately 262,300 within a 35 kilometer radius. An HIV programme was started in mid-2005 to try and address some of the HIV burden faced by the community. The pillars to the Madwaleni HIV programme comprise VCT (voluntary counselling and testing) and the HIV Wellness programme – a group of family-oriented services (including provision of antiretrovirals) offered to HIV positive individuals within the framework of local support groups meeting at the local hospital, community health center and primary health clinics. As at end August 2009, there are 3760 Wellness programmes members, of whom 1700 are on antiretrovirals. RESEARCH AIM: The purpose of this research was to obtain an in-depth understanding of individual’s perception of the success of the Madwaleni HIV Wellness Programme in the context of the individual needs in living with HIV.