Betty

My name is Betty Akinyi.  I live in Nyalenda Estate Kisumu.  I am 11 years old and also HIV  positive. My mother is a single mother who washes clothes for a living.  I like playing with my friends but when I am sick I am not able to play with them. Some of my friends don’t play with me when I have a rash in my body because they suspect it is HIV.  I have not told them and I don’t think I will because I don’t want to lose them.

I always look forward to going for group therapy sessions at Lean on Me foundation.  This is because I meet other young people like me who are HIV positive and they don’t seem to have trouble being close to me.  I told my mother that she should also join a support group of adults because being in the support group makes someone feel better and they are able to answer many questions and teach us about how to take care of our health.

I sometimes go with mum to wash clothes for people. It is not easy because sometimes she gets so many clothes to wash and they give her little money.  Sometimes she does not get any at all and we go back home without money for food.  I want to go to school and work very hard and become a teacher.  I will then build a big house for my mother and make sure she has everything she needs.