The following clients of the FWA clinic have agreed to promote the work of the clinic by sharing their stories, translated from Kirundi. Many ask that FWA be able to provide HIV retrovirals, which is a goal of FWA within the coming year.
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Claudine Iradukunda
I am currently a widow with 4 kids, which makes life difficult. In 2004, I went to visit my family in Rwanda and when I returned, I discovered that my husband had been hiding from me that he had tuberculosis and that he also tested positive for HIV. He told me that I had to get tested as well but I didn’t understand why. But I agreed to be tested and discovered that I was also HIV+.
I continued to be sick without knowing that there are medicines to help people who have HIV. It was then that a friend bought me to the FWA clinic. That helped me a lot because I was very sick before coming to the clinic.
Every time that I came to the FWA clinic, Claire [a nurse at FWA] gave me a warm welcome. I had never taken medications before, but every time that I came they gave me medicines from FWA’s supplies.
The association also really comforted me. There were moments when I felt alone in the world and felt very sad. At those times if I was at home, I would find myself heading to FWA because I was sure that there was always someone there who was ready to listen to me, understand me, counsel me, comfort me, and give me a feeling of living again.
In the future, I would really love to be a member of FWA and to receive anti-retroviral treatments there since it is difficult to have the money to buy a ticket to Bujumbura for treatment.
Claudine Ngendakuriyo
b. 1963, peanut saleswoman, widow with one child.
I first made contact with FWA through the testimony of others. It was at that time, in 2004, that I learned I was HIV positive. FWA has cared for my health since that point.
FWA is able to offer some examinations for free, and that is a great help to me. We have also received pschyosocial help and nutritional support. Without a doubt, my children are being educated only thanks to the notebooks, pens, school uniforms, and school fees that FWA has given us.
Do you have any suggestions? I ask that, if it is possible, to have access to antiretroviral treatment at the FWA clinic, to provide small amounts of support to cover our food needs since one of the parts of treating HIV/AIDS is to receive proper nutrition even as I don’t have the means to pay for it.
Edmond Miburo
I was an orphan, and was raised by my stepmother, so I didn’t have a chance to attend school. Everything started with the period of the inter-ethnic Crisis (in 1993). I was taking a bus to get to the province of Cibitoke when the bus was stopped by armed bandits. I was seriously wounded by the bandits and had to be taken to the hospital, where they cared for me for a long time. After leaving the hospital, I continued to be sick, and so I decided to be tested for HIV/AIDS and discovered I was HIV positive. [Edmond thinks he contracted HIV while in the hospital].
FWA gives us a warm welcome and helps us connect to others living with HIV/AIDS, though they are limited in what they are able to provide as treatment. Most of the medicine I am able to get I receive from FWA. FWA doesn’t provide antiretrovirals, but I would really love it if they did.
FWA helps us send our children to school by providing school materials, and also provides some training about the proper ways to raise children.
I want to sincerely thank FWA because it has really helped us during our hard times. I continue to hope they will be able to provide anti-retrovirals, and beyond that they could also help with other necessities such as help with an activity to generate a little money, for as it is I live in a small room with my wife and our 5 children.