A CHILD LIVING WITH AIDS: MWANAISHA
Johari Kyomile is 83 years old and guardian
to her grand daughter Mwanaisha Bashiru who is 14 years old. Mwanaisha lost
both of her parents in AIDS in 1997 and 1999 respectively Mwanaisha is one of 6
children from a polygamous family. She is the only child to her mother. Four
children are living with maternal relatives, while Mwanaisha and Zuriat (7) are
living with their paternal grandmother.
Mwanaisha is in class VI this year, 2004 but she has not been to school for
many months due to illness. She has AIDS and is suffering from all sorts of
symptoms. She has been ill on and off
since 1999. After counseling by HUYAWA, grandmother Johari agreed to have
Mwanaisha tested for HIV in 2003. Mwanaisha is on regular medication and
attends a special clinic for PLWHA ( people living with HIV/AIDS), TADEPA.
Some of Mwanaisha’s symptoms are similar to those her father used to have. She
therefore knows that there is little hope for her to recover and she takes her
illness with a negative attitude. At one time she told her cousin that she
sometimes thinks of committing suicide; throwing herself in Lake Victoria!
HUYAWA is in constant communication with the family, consoling the devastated
grandmother and encouraging Mwanaisha to think positively. This is not as easy
as it sounds. How does one tell a child that she is going to die anyhow?
HUYAWA besides providing the family with social support needs gives them moral
support. The family lives in a grass shack, near Lake Victoria shore, the home
of Johari for many generations - back.
Email 2004-09-06:
On Wednesday, 25th August, Mwanaisha’s
fever went up and she started vomiting. After a few minutes, she went to lie
down and later said that she was feeling better in the night around 11pm, she
gave a loud shout, tears trickling down her cheeks and when the cry subsided,
she breathed her last breath. The 83 years old grandmother is devastated. We a
HUYAWA have no words. It pains a lot to lose the young ones, especially as we
have lost two young people in 2 weeks!
Mwanaisha was buried on 26th August 2004. May God rest her soul in peace!
