Emily is 20 years old. She tells me happily that she is fine. She has no problems. She has come to Ndi Moyo to help with day care.
Emily met Lucy when she was 10 years old. She was already an orphan, living with her married sister in Salima, because her parents had died of AIDS. Emily has HIV from mother-to-child transmission.
In 2004, Emily went to the Salima Aids Support Organisation (SASO) where Lucy was then volunteering. She had dark lesions on her left thigh but no pain. She was walking fine.
In fact Emily had Kaposi’s Sarcoma, an HIV-associated cancer, in her leg. At that time the antiretroviral therapy to control her HIV was only available in Lilongwe so Lucy and Tony Finch drove Emily to the hospital in Lilongwe for her medication.
When she was older and more independent they gave her transport money. For 2 years, Emily made the 3-hour round trip to Lilongwe every 2 months. Finally in 2005, ARVs became accessible in Salima. After 3 courses of vincristine, Emily’s cancer is better. Now she just takes her ARVs. (Did you know one course of vincristine costs only £18?)
Emily now lives an hour away from Salima. She has come to help at day care by bus. Her brother-in-law wanted to have sex with her so her sister in Salima has sent her to their home village in another district. She is living with her eldest sister but her eldest sister wants Emily to get married too.
Emily felt that she was not ready for marriage but in 2014 she was married according to her family’s wishes. Ndi Moyo educates patients about the risks of HIV transmission.
“Most of my problems have been taken care of by Ndi Moyo. I have no idea what would have happened to me without Ndi Moyo. I am very thankful to Lucy. Lucy has supported me in different ways since I met her. When I see Lucy my life feels perfect”.