HIV-positive boy seeks sponsorship for education

Godwin Laurence (19) (seated) a resident of Nsalala Ward in Mbalizi in Mbeya District and his younger brothers who are under his care. (Photo: Guardian Reporter, recently at Mbalizi)

 Nineteen year old Godwin Laurence, a resident of Nsalala Ward in Mbalizi in Mbeya Rural District recently told the Guardian reporter who paid him a visit at his home that he was infected by his parents who died several years back.

 

When my parents died, I felt so bad, because I knew I wasn’t going to proceed with education, but thank God with the help of my grandfather I manage to complete my standard seven, he said.

 

The young boy currently lives with his young brothers, Grant Laurence (12) and Green Laurence (7) who were born negative to their HIV positive parents.  

 

Both Grant Laurence and Green Laurence are schooling at Nsalala Primary School in Mbalizi in standard three and standard 1 respectively.

 

He says previously, they were living with their grandfather until his death in 2012. Since then they have been lacking support from close relatives who told them to go back to Mbalizi after burying their grandparent in Kyela. 

 

“Our maternal parents have also not showed any support. We only receive support from the Brotherhood Church and a woman, who is our neighbuor,” he said.

 

Laurence says that he started receiving anti-retrovirals (ARVs) about eight years ago. He supplements the household income to cater for his young brothers by peeling sweet potatoes for a business person who fries potatoes in Mbalizi for Tsh 1000/- a day. He saves that money and buys food and other daily needs for three of them.

 

“All these years I have been doing various activities to support my young brothers. ,” he said . adding,  “I always hear that there are Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in this country who have been established with the purpose of supporting orphans and HIV positive people, but I have not seen them coming to help us,” he said.

 

He further said that he has never received any support either from their local government or NGOs. “I need support from good Samaritans to support me continue with my studies as standard seven class is not sufficient.  We need also to have good food and accommodation like other children who have parents who care for them,” he pleaded.

 

He says with the disease he has, he cannot manage heavy duty activities because whenever he does so, he develops severe headache. He prefers doing light activities instead.

 

When this paper asked him about his future plans, apart from continuing with his studies, he said “he expects to marry a partner from the HIV positive club and have HIV negative children just like other people” adding that with God’s will he desires one day he becomes a member of Parliament,” he revealed.

 

Meanwhile, Laurence has advised HIV positive victims like him not to be discouraged; instead, they should struggle hard and attain their ambitions. He also urged HIV victims to declare openly about their status.

 

For their part, both Grant and Green have called upon the public to support them with items like clothing, food and students essential.  “Like now, we are in midterm break, but we have been insisted that when we resume classes we should go with new uniforms, school bags, pens and exercise books, among others,” they said.

 

Green say, if God wishes, one day he wants to become a soldier while Grant prefers a teaching career.

 

Asked on how, Ifisi Mbalizi Designated Hospital supports HIV patients, the Deputy Medical Officer and Head of Pediatric Ward at the hospital, Dr Alfred Chambo said special attention is given to those patients with the virus. 

 

He said unlike in the past, HIV awareness programmes has led to the decrease of the disease in the Ward.  “HIV infections have dropped significantly, and currently there are around 2500 HIV people who have been identified by our centre,” he said without revealing the previous figures.

 

Dr Chambo said the awareness education has helped to fight stigmatisation or discrimination against HIV patients at the centre. 

“We usually send our team around villages and wards to visit infected patients and encourage those who have not declared their status to do so,” he said.

 

 Speaking to this paper in Mbalizi TGNP Mtandao  Programme Officer and Communications Melkizedek Karol  said that they identified the young man  during the organisation’s study  carried early this year. He said Laurence’s case was like an eye opener to them that most of HIV patients are not identified and recognised by their local authorities and communities surrounding them. 

For instance, he said when TGNP Mtandao  Programme identified Godwin Laurence, the young man did not know whether there were NGO’s dealing and supporting people infected with HIV.

 

Karol said due to lack of civic education among Mbalizi residents, many people have no connection with their street local government. “Civic education among people is still very low, there should be a mechanism to involve and make people participate fully in decisions making in their localities that affect them,” he urged.

 

He has called upon the government through their local government authorities from the village, ward, and district levels to form committees that will be responsible in dealing with HIV matters that are in line with the National HIV Policy whose responsibilities among others would be to identify people with HIV positive and look for ways how to support them. 

 

Karol said although, TGNP Mtandao does not support people infected with material or finance, what it does is to link those people with local NGOs in their localities that have responsibility to care them.