My brother said let us go home now; you have seen and heard enough for a day. He wanted to spare me more agony and pain of hearing stories of people who have lost their children due to this deadly disease called HIV/Aids.
I was adamant that we see more people so that I can have a true picture of what is happening in that part of the country. It was painful to take but someone had to do something to help these people.
I sat in that pitiful hut listening to Mbuya Masuko’s story:
“My life is finished – who is going to bury me? “ She began her story with heavy sobs.
Grandmother Masuko lost four of her six children to HIV/Aids. All the four children, two women and two men, where married. Their spouses also died.
In total Mbuya Masuko is looking after six children. Three of the children are HIV positive and she prays that help will come quickly before they succumb to the disease.
Grandmother Masuko is old and she cannot do much to help the children in her care. She cannot afford to send them to school and the older child, at 13 years, has become the head of the family. He looks after their few emaciated cattle and makes sure there is enough food for the whole family.