Bringing Ailing People Back to Life
A corps of dedicated caregivers fans out into the community on bicycle and foot. They go door-to-door with care kits and antiretroviral drugs, checking to make sure everyone in the neighborhood is all right, and tending to those who are ill. They comfort and bathe the sick. And by encouraging clients to get tested for HIV, and to place themselves on antiretroviral treatment, the caregivers bring ailing people back to life.
Moringa Leaves
I'm privileged to meet with many of these caregivers, and their patients, at Mututa. Outfitted in bright orange wrap skirts and t-shirts identifying them as RAPIDS healers, they give me a tour of their clinic, and show me their patient nutrition program. The centerpiece is the stash of dried moringa leaves, which the caregivers crush into powder and mix into the patients' food. The leaves are an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, as well as potassium -- and they grow right outside in Mututa's gardens.
With Mrs. Mwanawasa, Mrs. Chilufya and Jenna, I walk through the neat garden rows planted with corn and cassava, and across the tranquil citrus orchard. We pause to meet with Mututa caregivers and patients, each with a personal story more touching than the next. Tears stream down the dusty faces of two young women, Sarah and Mwelwa, as they share their stories of abuse and rape. There is pain in the re-telling, but also hope: The confidence to speak out is a sign of healing. With help from Mututa, both girls plan to finish their educations. They're part of a youth group at Mututa, which offers life-skills training. Mwelwa hopes to become a pediatrician, to help other orphans lead healthier, more hopeful lives.