Photo Story: Nolusindiso Mguye’s journey to get treatment for HIV/AIDS
Nolusindiso was raped three times. She received no help. She dropped out of school. She became pregnant in 2013 and found out she was pregnant and HIV positive. She as to walk 8kms to get her treatment.
This year the 21st International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2016, returns to Durban for the first time since the landmark conference of 2000, where a global movement was launched to bring life-saving treatment to the those affected by HIV and AIDS..
One of the highlights of AIDS 2016 will be a pop-up radio station hosted and produced by young reporters from the Children’s Radio Foundation (CRF) in South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The reporters plan to produce 40 hours of radio, which, broadcast by CRF partner stations, will be heard by 8 million people across Africa.
This story forms part of the IASYouthVoices campaign to highlight the real stories and perspective of youth living with HIV. CRF are sharing the personal stories of youth to ensure that their voices are heard in the global response to HIV.
This is Nolusindiso. She’s 24 years old and living in Wesbank, a neighbourhood in Cape Town, South Africa. She was forced to drop out of school due to the many challenges in her life. There was little to no support for someone who had faced her situation and she struggled to cope.Cindy is not yet prepared to tell her daughter that her mother is living with HIV. She plans to tell her when she grows up. Only one in four children and adolescents under the age of 15 have access to life-saving treatment.Cindy starts her trip to the local youth clinic, a trip of more than three hours there and back. This sort of trip is not rare and is just one of the many challenges rooted in a lack of infrastructure to deliver youth-friendly health services. HIV is the leading cause of death among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.The horizon opens up. Cindy is a few kilometres into her trip. Since most clinics mostly focus on pediatrics, it’s difficult to find a clinic that is open during regular hours for adolescents.Halfway through her trip to the clinic, having pounded pavement and grassland in order to get her HIV treatment, Cindy takes a break. “I have to collect my treatment, because it’s my life.”After a near 10-kilometre walk, Cindy arrives at the Nolungile Clinic. “We get a lot of support at Nolungile Clinic. It’s important for young people to speak out, because when you keep things inside, that’s when it kills you.”“I wish we had a clinic in Wesbank and a support group where we can give each other advice and support each other, and if something is bothering you, you know you have someone to talk to.” In 2013, young women aged 15 to 24 accounted for 60% of new HIV infections among young people.Cindy felt that she wanted to give up on life, but with the support of her local clinic and those around her she feels positive about the future. Moving forward, Cindy wants to see more investment in local clinics to help support those in need like herself. Investing in HIV service providers and clinics that are specifically dedicated to adolescent health is a critical component to addressing the HIV epidemic.
This year the 21st International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2016, returns to Durban for the first time since the landmark conference of 2000, where a global movement was launched to bring life-saving treatment to the those affected by HIV and AIDS..
One of the highlights of AIDS 2016 will be a pop-up radio station hosted and produced by young reporters from the Children’s Radio Foundation (CRF) in South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The reporters plan to produce 40 hours of radio, which, broadcast by CRF partner stations, will be heard by 8 million people across Africa.
This story forms part of the IASYouthVoices campaign to highlight the real stories and perspective of youth living with HIV. CRF are sharing the personal stories of youth to ensure that their voices are heard in the global response to HIV.
This is Nolusindiso. She’s 24 years old and living in Wesbank, a neighbourhood in Cape Town, South Africa. She was forced to drop out of school due to the many challenges in her life. There was little to no support for someone who had faced her situation and she struggled to cope.Cindy is not yet prepared to tell her daughter that her mother is living with HIV. She plans to tell her when she grows up. Only one in four children and adolescents under the age of 15 have access to life-saving treatment.Cindy starts her trip to the local youth clinic, a trip of more than three hours there and back. This sort of trip is not rare and is just one of the many challenges rooted in a lack of infrastructure to deliver youth-friendly health services. HIV is the leading cause of death among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.The horizon opens up. Cindy is a few kilometres into her trip. Since most clinics mostly focus on pediatrics, it’s difficult to find a clinic that is open during regular hours for adolescents.Halfway through her trip to the clinic, having pounded pavement and grassland in order to get her HIV treatment, Cindy takes a break. “I have to collect my treatment, because it’s my life.”After a near 10-kilometre walk, Cindy arrives at the Nolungile Clinic. “We get a lot of support at Nolungile Clinic. It’s important for young people to speak out, because when you keep things inside, that’s when it kills you.”“I wish we had a clinic in Wesbank and a support group where we can give each other advice and support each other, and if something is bothering you, you know you have someone to talk to.” In 2013, young women aged 15 to 24 accounted for 60% of new HIV infections among young people.Cindy felt that she wanted to give up on life, but with the support of her local clinic and those around her she feels positive about the future. Moving forward, Cindy wants to see more investment in local clinics to help support those in need like herself. Investing in HIV service providers and clinics that are specifically dedicated to adolescent health is a critical component to addressing the HIV epidemic.
