EIL Intercultural Learning

I am writing this after my first day volunteering at Thembacare, 18 bed palliative care center for children living with HIV.

During my first week in Cape Town, the ‘orientation' week all I could think of was how am I going to cope emotionally when I walk into my first day working with children living with HIV and spending my time here side by side with those children and their families? The night before my first day my host mother showed me photos of the babies and we commented on how you would hardly know that they are sick. The photos were of beautiful babies living with HIV. I was so focused on the physical state of these children that I had to stop and remind myself that that is just one aspect of them, it shouldn't be what defines them.

Upon arrival at my first day of work, within 20 minutes this fact became very clear. I discovered that there is Thando* who is such a pretty baby boy that everyone thinks he is a beautiful little girl until they change his nappy! There's Buhle* who just wants to sit in your arms all day and she's completely content, and there's Zukisa* who will ask you to help her to the bathroom then spend 10 minutes washing her hands just so she have your attention for longer! I could go on all day describing each one's particularities and characters, each one with their perfect little hands and faces. Like any other child in any other part of the world regardless of circumstance or race, they just want love and affection.

If I allow myself to start thinking about the monumental challenge that these children face the tears start coming but I keep telling myself that pity is not what they need, its strength. I feel an enormous sense of hope in this place and it is reflected in Thembacare's mission statement - ‘HIV and AIDS are no longer a death sentence'. With the right care, which I am blessed enough to be here to help with, these children will grow to be healthy, productive adults. At Thembacare the mortality rate has dropped from 70% when the centre was first established, to a current 2% and this year so far there have been no fatalities.

I am not denying that there will be some stories that do not have a happy ending and that there are children who will not make it through. These are feelings that I am dealing with every day here but my consolation is that, I know that every child at Thembacare is receiving the best possible chance to survive their sad circumstances and to be part of that.....well there are really no words to describe how great it is.

* Please note that the names of the children have been changed to protect their privacy.