Casestudy: Mercy Ilitongo

It is more difficult for the children because they do not understand

Mercy's husband died in October 2009 and she is now a widow with four children, all of whom have been tested. They are aged twelve, nine, seven and two years. The youngest is positive and on medication. She was a twin, but the other twin died at age two. Mercy is not working and survives doing some washing and cleaning in houses in the community in exchange for some money and food. Mercy is illiterate. She rents her house for K30,000 per month but it is very hard for her especially in the rainy season as the rain enters her house.

As her husband died, Mercy went for VCT and after a month she was diagnosed positive but was not too scared as she knew she could get medication to help her so she could be alive with her children. Her child was also tested at the same time and started medication also. It takes about an hour for her to walk to get their medication and she usually has to queue for a couple of hours. Mercy and her daughter take their medication at 07:00 and 19:00 but, they have problems getting adequate food. Mercy does not mind not eating herself but it is more difficult for the children because they do not understand.

Mercy suffers a bit from discrimination and stigma in her community, for example, sometimes if they are sharing food, or eating together, people will not eat from her plate if she has left some food because they are afraid they will become infected. She thinks that it is just from ignorance that they do this. It annoys her, but she tries not to pay too much attention because she does not want to get upset and depressed as this will make her weaker.

If something were to happen to Mercy, she is not sure who would look after her children because her relatives are very far away. She is the only one left of fifteen siblings. Her mother has passed away, and her father is still in her village and pays no attention to her. She has to remain strong so she can care for her children because no one else will if something happened.

Mercy thinks HIV is spreading because so many people in her community have it. People continue to drink too much and this makes them more susceptible to becoming infected. She insists that people should not sleep around and even in a stable relationship, condoms should be used because there are other STIs to worry about.

Mercy is thankful for the free medication because, due to the levels of poverty around her, she would not have been able to afford the medication otherwise. Mercy would be dead without it. She thinks parents need to be very careful and look after themselves so that they can care for their children, to stop children living on the streets.