By Gwendolyn Burke | Junior Development Officer
I hope you are having a wonderful summer! It's winter in most of the Sub-Saharan African countries where mothers2mothers (m2m) works, but no matter the season, we love to relax with a great story. Get in a comfortable chair and enjoy getting to know Florence, a former client and current Mentor Mother in Kenya.
"I first heard about mothers2mothers in 2009 when I was pregnant with my first-born. I came to the clinic with my husband and both of us were tested. The results were positive. Although it was comforting to go together, I couldn’t believe it. He supported me and I supported him, but unfortunately there was nothing more I could do for him. My husband died later that year. It was the most pain I’ve ever felt in my life.
After this and my diagnosis, I had no hope of living. All I could see next for me was just death. All I could think was that I would die the following day.
I eventually came to the facility for my antenatal check-up and I met a mothers2mothers Mentor Mother. I couldn’t believe what she was telling me, that I, as an HIV-positive woman, could give birth to an HIV-negative baby. But through the education that I got from the Mentor Mothers who were here at Rachuonyo, I made it. I used to come to the support group every week, which gave me so much courage and support, I just felt that 'wow, people can live with HIV, people can have a normal life if you are on your medication.' The Mentor Mothers made me believe that I could live.
I began to accept my status, took my medication each and every day and kept coming to the support groups. I now have two HIV-negative children, both girls. They are now eight years old and four years old, both are in school. As a widow and a single mother, the support from mothers2mothers and the women I count as friends and colleagues has helped me bring up my children.
When I heard mothers2mothers were advertising for a job as a Mentor Mother at Rachuonyo, I applied for it. I went for my interview and I got the job. Now I am a Mentor Mother myself. Because of the women I work alongside every day, I now have courage and hope to live. It is vital that Mentor Mothers continue supporting and educating more mothers so that they also become like me: empowered, healthy, and independent."
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