A Father’s Love
World AIDS Day, held on the 1st of December every year, is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV. It is a chance to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those whose lives have been cut short because of it. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day, held for the first time in 1988.
On this World AIDS day, we would like to share a story with you from Mutomo, Kenya, of a father’s love and commitment for his son:
In rural Kenya, nine-year-old David lives with his father, Ndunda. They live in a hut with a thatched roof and mud walls. Each morning, Ndunda walks a few miles down dusty roads to fetch safe water from a well near a river bed that has gone almost completely dry. The river used to provide nearly 50 families with water, but today the water level is very low. Every day is a challenge.
Typical thatched roof house in Kenya
Ndunda is a carpenter, and makes his living building small pieces of household furniture which he sells in the local community markets. Ndunda makes sure that David attends school – education is very important to him. Ndunda told us, “It’s very important for my child to go to school. I want David to be a professional. I only completed primary school and then trained as a carpenter for two years. I want more for my son.” When the school day is over, Ndunda brings David to the local clinic for antiretroviral treatment.
Within his remote village, Ndunda is respected for his love and devotion to his young son. He is a single, HIV-negative father, raising an HIV-positive child, and life is not easy. Together, Ndunda and David have overcome shame and stigma, which at times caused them both great pain. In Mutomo, our CMMB community health worker Jen says, “As a father, Ndunda sets an incredible example. He has embraced this child from the start, and never turned from David or his HIV status.” With a commitment to healthcare, medicine, and good nutrition, Ndunda is doing all he can to make sure his son thrives.
David is one of the lucky ones. He is one of 1.8 million children worldwide currently living with HIV. Unfortunately, most children are infected by mothers who often don’t know they are HIV-positive during pregnancy, childbirth or while breastfeeding.
In Mutomo, CMMB’s CHAMPS program partners with Mutomo Mission Hospital and smaller facilities like the Kanziku Health Center where David receives treatment. By working together, we know we can reach the difficult goal of an AIDS-free generation by:
• Delivering life-saving medicine to keep HIV-positive children like David healthy and alive
• Providing access to quality healthcare, including prenatal care and delivery in a health facility to support vulnerable, HIV-positive mothers and ensure healthy, HIV-negative newborns
• Supporting HIV/AIDS education and outreach in the poorest communities to reduce the spread of the disease
Pope Francis reminds us, “Every person is a beloved child of God.” Ndunda is working hard to ensure a brighter future for his son David.
On World AIDS Day, let’s stand by David, all HIV-positive children worldwide, and our ongoing commitment to their beautiful potentials.