Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF1/7On my first day in Zimbabwe, I visited a center run by AfricAid with help from UNICEF that supports children and adolescents living with HIV. The center gives children with HIV the information, care, and guidance they need to live their lives to the fullest. I met young girls and boys, like Lloyd, pictured here, who was diagnosed when he was only 6 years old. Through the counseling he received at AfricAid, he came to the realization that even though he is HIV positive, he can still do anything his peers not living with HIV can do. As a result, he wanted to become a positive role model for other children living with HIV, so he became a peer counselor to help educate and empower other young people. Lloyd has such a great voice and his dream is to be a musician.
Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF2/7In Zimbabwe, nearly 15 percent of people age 15 to 49 years old are living with HIV. Children who are subjected to sexual violence and abuse are at an increased risk of contracting the disease. I met with a wonderful team at Community Child Care Workers, a group of volunteers who look out for the interests of vulnerable children in the community and give them support when they need it. These amazing adults are the ones that children can trust. They are the eyes and the ears of the community.
Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF3/7This is Mr. Nicolas Mudada, who has been a voluntary Community Child Care worker in Epworth, southeastern Harare, for over 30 years. His role is to help identify and report cases of violence, exploitation, and neglect against children in his community. I witnessed the real connection that Mr. Mudada has with the families in his community. He is a strong figure in the community and people listen to him and respect him. After a long morning, he brought us all sugarcane from his garden. It was as sweet as he is!
Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF4/7Here I’m at a drop-in center in Epworth, run by Childline Zimbabwe. Childline also runs a 24-hour help line with the help of UNICEF. Volunteers provide free, confidential, multilingual counseling 24-7, 365 days a year, to children across the country. When I went to the call center, the phones were ringing off the hook. I was told they receive over 1,000 calls a day. Childline truly makes a positive impact in these children’s lives. I felt fortunate to see so many smiling children after hearing so many horrible stories. As you can see, they were fascinated with my hair. They were all so beautiful inside and out and I told them they should never let anyone tell them differently.
Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF5/7This is 11-year-old Mashaya. Mashaya’s parents died when she was young and her grandmother recently had a stroke, which forced her to become the sole carer for her two siblings and two cousins. Being a parent of four young children at just age 11 is hard for anyone to fathom. It was heartbreaking to hear the level of responsibility she has and the struggles she is going through. She wants to go to school, but she can’t because she has the obligation to care for her siblings and her grandmother. She was so brave and strong, but those are decisions no child should have to make. Mashaya receives a cash grant from UNICEF to help her with living costs and food. The government gives her a bag of grain. Mr. Mudada also provides support to the family. He is trying to get Mashaya to believe in her dreams and get her back into school.
Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF6/7I sat with these girls to watch a play performed by the peers at a group called Champions of Change. Young people put on plays and dance performances about issues that affect them, including sexual violence. It helps to educate and empower adolescent boys and girls and resist the pressures that might lead to sexual abuse and exploitation, child marriage, or unwanted pregnancy. They use drama, dance, and song to share stories and teach valuable lessons. They discuss and challenge social norms around relationships, sex and sexuality, or decision-making related to sex. It really helps them to see their own value and worth, and helps them to take charge of their own lives.
Photo: Courtesy of UNICEF7/7My last stop on this incredible trip was to visit an Isibindi (which means “courage” in Zulu) Safe Park in Soweto, a township in South Africa. It’s a place for orphaned and vulnerable children, supported by UNICEF, where they play and take part in educational activities after school. As you can see, I got to dance with the children! They showed me their favorite moves and I showed them mine: the thumka, a famous female dance move in Hindi films. It was a special moment and one I will never forget. To see them so happy and enjoying themselves, just as children should be, brought joy to my heart. It was an uplifting end to a life-changing trip.
