Sunday, 3 March 2013

HIV Survivors – Natalie


03/03/2013

Natalie* is 16 years old, her father died from HIV they year she was born. Her mother is HIV+, taking ART and currently works as a telephone operator at the Health Bureau. She has a brother aged 24 who has graduated with a diploma in nursing and cannot find work. Her sister who is 19 and left school at grade 6 to be a daily worker and provide some income for the family.

Natalie is a grade 9 student, she is doing very well academically. OSSA can take a little credit for this because they sponsor her education, paying her school fees, uniform, book and material costs. It is vital that she stays in education so that she can provide herself with a reliable future.

She lives with her mother, siblings and grandmother. We also met her grandmother, who moved to Awassa to find her brother several years ago, when she got here she discovered he had passed away. She stayed in the area anyway, and now regrets this as she feels that being here may have been what caused her family to be affected by HIV.


Kx

*names have been changed to protect identity

No comments:

Post a Comment