Faces and Stories
September 2011
Meet Michael
Hello, my name is Michael Mapenzi. I am 15 years old and am from the Kalingalinga compound in Lusaka, Zambia. I am the fourth born child of six children in my family. I started to become ill in 2009 when I developed a sore on my left leg. Over time, the sore worsened and my leg became very swollen. I also began to develop many itchy blisters surrounding the initial sore. Eventually, I had to leave school and was taken to the hospital, where doctors discovered that I was HIV positive and that I had a type of skin cancer called Kaposi’s sarcoma.
In May of 2010, my priest took me to Our Lady’s Hospice in Lusaka so that I could receive medicine for my illnesses. Unfortunately, doctors told me that both my HIV and Kaposi’s sarcoma are at an advanced stage and can no longer be cured, but I am on second line antiretroviral treatments and am undergoing chemotherapy so that I can try to get better.
Before I was admitted to the hospice, I used to get sick very often – I would usually get malaria or the flu. However, since I have been living at the hospice I have been feeling better. My nurse, Sobe, gives me medicine, washes and cleans my leg, and makes sure that I am feeling OK. Additionally, I receive morphine five times a day to help me deal with the pain in my leg. Because of the care that I receive at the hospice, I do not have much pain anymore, and now only my leg gives me problems, but the problems are not as bad as they were before. My leg is no longer in very much pain, it only itches.
At the hospice, I like to watch television and ride around in my wheelchair. But my favourite part about living there is the food! It is delicious and I get to eat a lot. However, there are times when I am bored. I hope that we will soon receive some video games or books to write in so that I may have new things to do while I am here.
Although I like living at the hospice, I miss my old life very much. Before I became ill, my favourite activities were playing football with my friends and hunting for birds. I also used to love to cook for my younger siblings after school, and hang out with my older sister and little brothers. Unfortunately, since I have begun living at the hospice, I do not get to see my friends very much anymore. I miss them a lot. I sometimes ask the hospice matron to take me home to see my friends and my grandmother, but the matron says that she does not have transport money to do so. However, my friends do sometimes come to the hospice to bring me food, but this is the only time I get to see them. Every night before I go to bed, I pray that one day I can get back on my feet and be healthy.
Despite the challenges of living at the hospice, I am happy to be here. I have accepted that there is nothing I can do about my situation, so at least I am glad that I live at the hospice where I have access to medicine, and people are around to look after me. Also, at least my family gets to visit me every day, and they tell me that it is nice for them to see that I am no longer in much pain.
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May 2011
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February 2011
Evans is a 10 year old boy who lives with his mother and sister in Misisi, one of the poorest compounds in Zambia. His father died when he was 5 years old. Evans is HIV positive and has been on ARV’s for five years now. He is one of the long term clients of Tiny Tim and Friends.
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February 2011
Martin
Martin is 12 years old and lives with his father, stepmother and two older sisters, who are both HIV negative. His mother died of AIDS when Martin was 6 years old. Martin is HIV+ and was put on ARV’s in 2006. At that time he was living with his Grandmother but, because he was not improving, he was transferred to the Tiny Tim and Friends program in 2007 and is now doing well.
January 2010
Gladys and her two children, Elidah (11) and Stanley (7) are all HIV positive. These three fall into the TT&F target group of the most vulnerable members of society with HIV. They live in the John Lang Compound in Lusaka, where the Women’s Group is based. Gladys is an active member of the group, which monitors others in the community and works to combat stigma. While some would look at the situation as bleak, the three look like a picture of hope. TT&F allows all three to be looked after by the same clinic and to be well known to the same team. They receive nutritional support as well as medical and social support. Elidah is in the process of receiving educational support to sponsor her school fees and uniform. They are familiar and welcome faces at clinics and the benefit they receive from the organization is apparent.
January 2010
Alice is a five year old orphan who was tested at an TTF Outreach. She was enrolled in the TTF Program after she was screened and the result was positive for HIV. She was malnourished, had a persistent cough, chronic diarrhea and had developed a skin rash. She was started on antiretroviral medication to, “put the virus to sleep”. The team became concerned as she was not responding appropriately to the medication. Alice was being cared for by her grandmother and they had recently moved across Zambia, from the Copperbelt, seeking shelter and the support of other family members. Her elderly grandmother was unable to supervise her medication adequately and the rest of her family disowned her. TTF stepped in to find her a stable place to stay- a local orphanage with 24 other children- run by Mother Without Borders. She is supervised to take her medication, well fed and looked after. She gained weight on a special diet and is a now a very active and smiley child who is well loved.
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