MARY KHANYIVU

Mary is 53 years old with a 6-year-old son. Two years ago her neighbor brought her to Vumilia when she was very sick with tuberculosis and pneumonia. Vumilia referred her to a nearby district hospital for a medical check-up and she was found be HIV+. Mary had been sick many years and made a number of visits to a local clinic that did not diagnose her condition. After many doctor fees she gave up and visited a witchdoctor. He told her she was bewitched and to be healed she needed to pay him $200. She sold all she had to pay him. She was left with nothing nor was she healed.

“Vumilia is my strength. I was placed on deathbed. My neighbors left me to die. I could not eat, walk or talk and all I could hear was people coming to pray for me for God to allow me to die since I had suffered much. One woman who came to offer the prayers thought I could not hear what she was saying. She whispered to other people ‘she has committed a lot of sin maybe that’s why she can’t die. She needs to repent.’ I could not talk but shed tears of grief and despair. I was weighing 30 kilo. (66 pounds)
Without Vumilia and my neighbor who brought me to Vumilia, I would be dead and forgotten.” I joined Vumilia HIV/AIDS support group and was put on antiretroviral. I am 62 kilos (136 pounds) after treatment for infection.”

Mary is a strong supporter of Vumilia’s programs. She’s now on our home based care team who go out every Friday to offer palliative care to the bedridden in surrounding villages. Vumilia has supported Mary economically to start a fish business and sell second hand clothes. She can afford her own transport and feeds her family.