A tale of high and low with the virus

Once back home in Kampala, she sold the sewing machine to raise rent of Shs7,000 for a mud- and-wattle house. She started brewing local potent gin and occasionally cooked food for builders in a construction site to raise money.
“Life was impossible; we lived from hand to month”

It was only after getting support for the orphans from Reach Out Mbuya that life again started to look bright.
Because of the constant back ache she suffered, doctors at the Centre advised her against brewing and she was offered a job as a translator since she knew a bit of English and Swahilli. “But I turned it down because sometimes patients would tell me something and I tell her different things all together. But I was given a job as a cleaner,” she says.

Ms Anyek biggest worry is dying and leaving her children behind. At times she wants to go back to the village but the fear of a negative reaction from her husband’s relatives keep her in Kampala.

Ten years after enrolling for treatment, she is now employed as a community ARVs TB Support staff looking after 72 HIV clients within Kinawataka community by occasionally visiting them to monitor how they are responding to treatment. “I have no father and mother. All my life now depends on drugs and this job. What I can tell people out there, if you test positive, start medication immediately. Those who are negative, work hard to stay negative.