WATCH: Oasis of hope amid desolation…How Alpha Teen offers buffer zone to rural children living with HIV

Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
OUTSIDE Ms Sitheni Ncube’s (42) kitchen sits a group of children born with HIV drawn from Ibaza, Impu, Khozi, Mazhowe and Bhembelele villages in Dula, Matobo District, Matabeleland South Province. These bubbly youngsters are munching on fire baked buns and corn snacks — one of few meals they have per week given poverty levels in the area.

Despite the fact they need these meals to develop physically and mentally, these children are living with HIV and access to adequate meals is essential for the efficacy of antiretroviral medication which they have been taking since birth.

They always look forward to sessions with Ms Ncube who runs Alpha Teen, an HIV support group for children aged six to 18 in the five villages. Some live with single parents, others with grandparents some few all alone and many a time cannot afford to have at least one meal per day.

These circumstances have often led to a majority defaulting their medication which in turn multiplies viral load and increases chances of drug resistance. Ms Ncube, who is openly living with HIV, feeds, counsels and helps the children take their ARVs.

She also shares information on how they can lead confident lives and cope with difficult socio-economic challenges.

One of them *Ntethelelo (14), is an orphan who now lives with neighbours, as the whereabouts of her relatives are not known.

With no clothes, food, school fees and care from family, walking 14km daily to Ms Ncube’s homestead is such a delight as he is guaranteed of food and comfort.

“My parents died a long time ago and I was left with my grandmother who also died early this year. I grew up drinking ARVs without knowing and would sometimes stop as my grandmother struggled to put food on the table,” he said.

“At least I have caring neighbours who took me in when she died. I am also grateful to MaNcube who keeps us positive about our condition despite the challenges we face. We also appreciate the meals we get from her because things are tough back home which makes it difficult to adhere to medication.”

A teacher by profession who has never been employed, Ms Ncube was driven by passion and love for children to form a support group for these children who kept defaulting their medication due to food insecurity. Dubbed Alpha Teen, the support group has more than 20 children living with HIV from the five villages who rely on Ms Ncube for food. With only 17 months in existence, the programme has helped community members open up about HIV and how best to help those who were born with it.

Using skills acquired while studying towards a teaching diploma, she has managed to instil confidence to the youngsters through drama and poems whenever they meet. During school holidays, the children meet Ms Ncube from Monday to Friday and during weekends when schools are open. Ms Ncube shares her food with the vulnerable children adding that sometimes they rely on handouts from the business community.

She decided to form the support group when a teenager she was training with for an agricultural project died during training.
“It all started when I completed my teaching diploma in 2020 and struggled to get employment. I decided to venture into income generating agro projects and during training one of our youths died after defaulting his ARVs,” said Ms Ncube.

“As someone openly living with HIV, I pursued the issue only to discover that I was surrounded by communities which had a number of defaulting children with HIV. I then realised many default due to food shortages because one can never take ARVs on an empty tummy, the drugs are too strong and need one to have adequate meals.”

She said as she awaits employment opportunities, she started the support group with help from Dula Clinic where those affected collect their ARVs from.

“I also discovered that a majority of these children did not know why they were on ART as grandparents would lie and say the tablets are for headaches. I then formed a support group and turned my homestead into a centre where these orphans can access food, information on HIV and the importance of adherence.”

Ms Ncube said food insecurity will reverse the gains in the fight against HIV in her community where even adults prefer to go for days without ART due to food shortages.

“This initiative has given birth to nine support groups in the community for adults living with HIV. When I started feeding the children and assuring them that they can live normal lives, even with HIV adults softened up and have been willing to help those infected to adhere to medication.”

Ms Ncube said her dream is to have projects that will ensure the children have access to adequate and nutritious meals daily.

“A lot of awareness is needed in our community for us to end Aids as a country. We are grateful for the free ARVs we get all the time and we need food to guarantee adherence. I appeal to well-wishers to help us with capital so that we start our own projects which will also help in paying fees and buying clothes for these vulnerable children. I also wish for space to establish a library and a centre where these children can drop in daily even in my absence and engage in activities that will keep them hopeful.”

Dula village head Mr Misheck Ndlovu said many families people living with HIV in the area as they need food for the ARVs to effective.

“Our area is impoverished and food is one of those challenges in most homes. Quite a number of those living with HIV default due to hunger and do not have the courage to encourage affected children to adhere. We are pained because we even fail to complement Ms Ncube in her efforts to promote healthy living amongst our people living with HIV. We need agriculture projects because food aid does not meet all the needs that our people have,” said Ndlovu.

A villager, Mr Dingulwazi Mlilo, said policy makers should ensure that those living with HIV always have access to food.

“We are grateful for the measures taken to ensure that we all get ARVs on time but without food adherence is tricky. These children who are fed by MaNcube are just a fraction of those who are infected in our community. Stigma is still there and these children born with HIV should be continuously educated on adherence, safe sex, mental health and the importance of accepting their statues,” added Mr Mlilo.
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Article Source: The Chronicle