Seeing the reality of other lives

Sr Helen Kisolo with Lucy and Michael, a Kenyan couple living with HIV [Jane Lennon]

Jane Lennon explains how meeting a couple who are both HIV positive in Kenya has given her a fresh outlook on her work for CAFOD

My role in CAFOD’s HIV team means I am often communicating about our partners’ HIV and AIDS work to CAFOD staff, supporters and other organisations – but sometimes, while sitting at a computer in a south London office, it is hard to imagine the realities the people in these different communities are facing.

CAFOD’s HIV team is made up of staff representing all the regions where CAFOD works around the world.

HIV and AIDS is one of CAFOD’s priority areas of work and the team works hard to share learning in this area and improve the support we can provide to partners.

As part of this process, members of the team and I recently went to Kenya and met up with Sr Helen Kisolo from CAFOD partner, the Assumption Sisters in Thika.

We were to visit Lucy and Michael, a married couple in their 40s who are both HIV positive, and one of many families receiving support from the Assumption Sisters’ integrated AIDS programme.

No fear anymore

Lucy and Michael greeted us warmly. We were reminded of Sr Helen’s warning that Lucy had problems standing unaided but she did not let that deter her from inviting us into her home and talking openly about her life.

Lucy told us about the therapy group run by the Assumption Sisters that she joined after discovering she was HIV positive in 2005 – and how receiving counselling there meant she had "no fear anymore".

Ann, 19, (left) had been training as a dressmaker but had to leave before taking her final exams due to financial problems and also the need to take care of her parents who are both HIV positive [CAFOD]

The Assumption Sisters had also provided the couple with maize, beans and fertiliser for their garden, as well as advice in how best to plant the crops. This means they are now able to better support themselves and live more self-sufficiently.

Lucy also told us how she and Michael started receiving anti-retroviral drugs last month – which allow people living with HIV to remain healthier for much longer.

These drugs are now increasingly being provided for free by the Kenyan government but, while this is a great step forward it does not mean that poorer families can always take them as needed.

In fact, for a variety of reasons, less than 20% of adults living with HIV are receiving these drugs.

For example, although Lucy and Michael can get the drugs they find the cost of transport to their nearest clinic very expensive, and Michael often has to cycle the 60km to get his medicine.

Reassuring figure

During our conversation with Lucy and Michael we were joined by another Lucy – the family’s community health worker.

She regularly visits Lucy and Michael in their home on a voluntary basis. She was very positive and reassuring and I imagined I would feel a bit better just knowing someone like her was there to help if necessary.

We also met Ann, one of Lucy and Michael’s three children. Aged 19, until recently she had been training as a dressmaker but had to leave before taking her final exams due to financial problems and also the need to take care of her parents.

She hopes to go back to finish her dress making course once her mother is better and they can save up for the tuition fees.

As we left, I wondered what the family must have thought of our group, passing briefly then leaving to continue with our own very different lives in England.

The visit will certainly remain in my thoughts for much longer than an afternoon and it has provided me with additional incentive to keep supporting the work that CAFOD partners are doing.

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