Cissy's Story...

Life was the worst thing I had ever thought of. I never knew what life was without tablets. During my early years, when my mother was still alive, we used to take tablets together and I thought it was normal and no-one could live without tablets. Time passed and my mother became very sick and eventually she died.

I was taken to live with my father. There I found that none of the family members were taking tablets daily. When I inquired, I was told that I had HIV which had come from my mother. My family neglected me and none of them would play or eat with me. I was forbidden to sit in the sitting room when we had a visitor. I began to believe that having HIV is a curse and whoever had it would be punished by death. I suffered neglect yet I had no body to share with. I decided to stop taking my drugs for six months, hoping I would eventually die...  

During those dark days, I was introduced to Wellspring. Here I found loving medics who took me  to Kitovu Hospital for treatment. While in hospital none of my family visited me so William, the sponsorship manager at Wellspring cared for me during my hospital stay and on discharge took me to a wonderful home for children who had been abandoned and mistreated. Here I have found a real home, a home where everybody loves each other. No stigma, no more hiding...  

Life is sweeter than ever before. Thank you God for not letting me die then, because I would have missed the love I get now. I no longer regret as to why I was born. I will never neglect my drugs again. For my sponsor, only God knows what to reward you. My message to all the children who are suffering, don’t give up your lives, there are people who care.