Times like these
on Colm in Kenya (Kenya), 08/Nov/2010 13:40, 34 days ago
He had eyes like two dark caves each with a small boy standing alone in its empty depth; cheekbones and temples like worn, weathered rocks encased by skin tight and shiny; and lips a pail purple or a shallow grey or just wearily colourless.APLWHA*, onARVs*, formerly aMARP*, a member of the 7.9%.His name is Simon from the Red Ribbon support group inChonyi, nearKilifi and isHIV+.Here in a small room inKilifiDistrict Hospital Simon gives us his support group’s progress update following our first training last June. In theheavy heat, ruthlessly oblivious to the loud overhead fans, one member from 23 HIV support groups in the region sit and listen.“We’vestarted a savings group where we all saveKsh25 (¢25) a week” he said over the hum of the strainingaircon.“Some of us are growing tomatoes and pulses from the kitchen garden training but for many, the bags are too expensive” they listened while outside young Kenyan doctors and nurses went about their business.“We held one business management session and one on record keeping but there are only 4 of us who are literate so it is difficult” my colleague scribbles his comments on her note pad for the post training report.“However, our biggest problem is that no one wants to buy from us.” Simongives a little resigned smile and shrug like as if he recited the same tired joke told already several times that morning, one thatwasn’t funny the first time.This was the first day of our follow-up training to HIV support groups acrossKilifiandKaloleni and itis proving to be quite positive. Each member gives an update and challenges faced over the past two months.They achieved a lot. More than the Doubting ThomasMzungu(‘white person’ in Swahili) Volunteer from Ireland would of thought.Stupid Doubting ThomasMzungufrom Ireland.Training people on Business Management and Marketing Skills is akin to Human Alchemy to a cynicalSDTMfIlike me. With the donor funds given to you, you gather people with little or no business experience, take them through a three-day training and hope they can create for themselves a little money making enterprise.I write the training course, and I of course have myself a little gold mine business empire?Then, confident enough in ones alchemy, add to process the big disease with the little name - HIV. And thus, Stigma.You had sex without a condom. Once. Several times. For money. With prostitutes. While drunk. While taking drugs. While sober. While married. While single. With some stranger. With your neighbours daughter. While working away from home. With multiple partners. When you were a respected member of society. When I bought food from you. When you were still my friend. When you used to sit beside me in church. When you were still my wife/husband.You disgust me! Now go live in shame forever and die the lonely, horrible death you deserve.The above is wretched, despicable, ignorant self-righteousness.To hell with them.The District AIDS Support and Care Officer (DASCO), a middle-aged guy calledMeschackwith silver eyes and a well-tendered goatee comes to give an official opening speech (some 4 hrs after training started,ShhhI arrived late too). He is an excellent, entertaining, captivating speaker. During his speech he tells everyone attending today's training that he’s proud of what they’veachieved so far.And then, as he begins to finish he falls to the ground. He gets up again. He falls theatrically and gets up again.“Everytimethey push you down, get up” he says repeating his charade.“Eventually they’ll stop and you’ll prove to them that no matter who they think you are, you can always be proud of who you know you are…and succeed through positive living.”A few people giggle but the message is understood. Kenyans love their Drama but it works: his performance lets everyone know they’vegot folk in their corner (and good folk too,KilifiDistrict Hospital is one of Kenya’s best).With his words in our minds, we continue our training. Tomorrow, I’ll be on time and join Simon and the others in a session on ‘Record Keeping follow up’. I got to be honest with you, Ididn’t understand it the first time either!It’s time like these, time and time again.*PLWHA=Person Living With HIV/AIDSARV=AntiretroviralMARP= Most At Risk Person (e.g. Polygamous Men,MatatuWorkers, Sex Workers, Drug Addicts)7.9% of the Coast population our HIV or AIDS positive.