An 18-year-old girl came in Thursday to collect books. She was a student at one of the secondary schools we went to the day before. She said that madam deputy (the assistant principle) had sent her. Benen left Jenna and I to talk to her. As we sat she told us of her problems, her fears, and her aspirations. She told us that her family was very poor and lived up in the hills. She had to walk 7 km to school every morning and 7km back at night. The walk took her around three hours one-way. She said she often did not have enough to eat, and did not have enough water. She would not have minded so much if she had not been on anti-retroviral drugs. The year before she had been diagnosed with HIV. The only people who knew were her mother, her aunt, her school nurse, and the madam deputy. She did not know if anyone else in her family was positive. She felt scared to tell her father or any of her friends. When we asked why she replied, “then people will wisper ‘see that girl she has aids’ ‘oh you see her? She’s the one with HIV.’” We told her she could ask us any questions and she asked, “How can I become more educated like you.” She liked math and wanted to be a doctor. We told her about the library Salama Shield had that she could use. I had no idea what else to say. When we were done talking to her Benen came back and told her to have hope. She was a strong brave girl with a future. She could have a family and grow up to be the doctor she wanted to be. The way things happened, they were not her fault. She had done nothing wrong, and her whole life lay ahead of her. She left with her supplies after Jenna and I gave her a hug, and told her that we were her friends if she ever needed to talk. She is my new hero.
