Interview with UBA’s nurse

Questions with…

Ntuthu, Ubuntu Africa’s nurse  

 How did you come to work for UBA? Had you done any HIV/AIDS related work prior to your involvement with this organization?

I worked at an HIV clinic for MSF for 5 years and then the Simelela rape clinic for 3 years. I met with Whitney when she visited Simelela. Whitney had this vision about what was happening with children living in Khayelitsha with HIV/AIDS, support-wise. She asked me how I thought the children were coping with HIV and I said ‘I don’t even know if they are taking medication.’

 Nutrition-wise, I knew that some kids were not treated well by the caregivers…parents will say that they are treating the child well if they don’t let them play with other kids because they are HIV positive. I knew that problem. I knew there was a gap between children and doctors and nurses. 

At first I came working to volunteer. Then later on, because there were a lot of children working in the program, I came to work full time.

According to you, what about UBA stands out the most? What do you think makes it especially different from other organizations that also work with HIV/AIDS in Khayelitsha?

Here, you empower the children for the future. We don’t give just the ARV treatment, we also work towards prevention. [These kids] are the future generation—they need to do things with open eyes, knowing that ‘I’m HIV positive, how do I do this?’ They should not be blindfolded. 

Some people say we can eradicate the future spread of HIV/AIDS in 10 years. Do you think this is true?

If we empower these children that were born with HIV, it can be possible.

As part of the comprehensive care component at UBA, everybody here seems to have multiple roles combined into one. Can you briefly describe what you do?

During a typical Monday when I come in I know that its admission day. I counsel children who are coming and explain what we do here, [conduct] physical examinations, and then [if needed]I refer them to a social worker, and then I do my paperwork. I am also the one who suggests if there is a family in need of a food parcel. Tuesday I go to the clinics for follow-up appointments—Are there children who didn’t come in for appointments? Are there children that are not compliant with treatment? Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I go to clinics and check up on the children and on a daily basis, I see all of the children that are having health problems. 

In your experience, have you found that Khayelitsha community supports UBA and its work?

Yes. The thing is you’ve got to work to make yourself known. If you network with other organizations and you tell the community of your service, people will come. People have been very supportive.

What has been the biggest success you’ve had here, or something you’ve been the most proud of?

We had quite a lot of children who come here without hope. They were very sick,  had skin problems, and they have become healthier. One doctor [at a clinic] had noticed a change from [one specific] child, and she said “What are you doing at Ubuntu Africa that has changed this child so much?” 

What goals do you have for the future of UBA—both personally and for the organization as a whole?

As an organization, what is being done by UBA, I am just hoping that there are organizations like this all over, with a vision like what we do here. That’s the only way to help the youth to stop the spread of HIV. 

What has been the hardest health challenge that you have faced when healing/ taking care of the UBA children?

For me, it goes beyond food and everything. The knowledge to be loved and recognized as a child, that you are a child anyway and that you need to be taken care of. They get that here, but you just wonder about other children. You can see if from the child’s eyes and appearance when they first come here they are so withdrawn and not interested in anything. But when they are here for longer and you talk with them…I don’t think outside there are any other caregivers or parents that ask them “How was your Friday? What happened at school?” There are very few who will do that; it’s like we don’t recognize children as people having feelings. If you start there…the child will think ‘I exist,’ and from there the child will say, ‘okay somebody cares.’

Read more interviews an learn about UBA’s incredible staff!

Questions with..

Skwayi, UBA’s social worker and counselor

Silvester, UBA’s youth educator

Nonceba, UBA’s operations manager