In the face of HIV and malnutrition, a family finds hope through World Vision assistance and the support of a sponsor

Agricultural assistance, medical care, and a sponsor’s love transformed life for this struggling family in Rwanda, showing them that they are not alone.

August 2009

By Andrea Peer and Jessie Lester, World Vision U.S.

Jacqueline and Alexandre were once burdened with worries about HIV and how to feed their three children. Thanks to World Vision's help, this family now leads happy, productive lives.
Photo ©2009 Andrea Peer/World Vision

Alexandre, a father of three, who lives in the small African country of Rwanda, says that the prayers of his son’s sponsor are giving his entire family hope to live. “If the sponsor is praying [for] and supporting the child, then his future is secured,” says Alexandre, who once had every reason to worry about his family’s future.

Burdened with HIV

Less than two years ago, Alexandre and his wife, Jacqueline, found out that they were both HIV positive. At the time, Jacqueline was five months pregnant. “I felt my time to die had come,” she says. Jacqueline received pills to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, but otherwise, she and Alexandre tried to live in denial of their HIV status. But their health only continued to deteriorate.

The concerns about HIV came at a time when Alexandre and Jacqueline were already burdened with worries about providing for their children. “It was one of the most difficult times in our family,” remembers Jacqueline. “We did not have enough food.”

‘Our children suffered’

Help provide care for children and families affected by HIV and AIDS, like Alexandre, Jacqueline, and their three sons.

Occasionally, Alexandre was able to work in others’ fields, but often, he was too weak. When he did have energy for physical labor, he would earn about $0.30 U.S. per day, barely enough to buy a handful of potatoes.

Hunger only worsened the struggle with HIV, but it wasn’t just Alexandre and his wife whose health was at risk. “Even our children suffered a lot. Our older son was showing signs of malnutrition,” says Alexandre. The children were thin, nauseous, and had continual diarrhea.

“We were thinking that we were about to perish as a family,” remembers Jacqueline.

Food and medication

Alexandre playfully swings his son, Peace. This father of three dearly loves his children.
Photo ©2009 Andrea Peer/World Vision

But today, thanks to help they received from World Vision, Alexandre, Jacqueline, and their three children are healthy and thriving. World Vision staff members encouraged Alexandre and Jacqueline to join a group for people living with HIV and AIDS. There, they received emotional support and learned about anti-retroviral medication that could help them live healthy lives, even with HIV.

As the family began to regain their strength, World Vision also provided seeds and agricultural training to improve long-term food security. “World Vision taught us how to grow food and produce so we could have a good harvest,” says Alexandre. Now, the family is producing enough food to eat and sell, and hunger and malnutrition are no longer a concern.

The love of a sponsor

Through his World Vision sponsorship, Josue receives benefits like access to health care and education.
Photo ©2009 Andrea Peer/World Vision

World Vision also matched Alexandre’s oldest son, Josue, with a sponsor, whose generous support is helping to provide medical care and education. “When he is sick, World Vision covers all of his medical bills,” says Alexandre. “Because of [sponsorship], [Josue] can get a school uniform and school materials,” he adds.

The love that Josue’s sponsor shares through letters has been an encouragement and motivation to the entire family. “Another thing that gives us comfort is when the sponsor says, ‘I always pray for you,’” says Alexandre, who believes in the power of prayer. “We too, pray for our sponsor.”

A new life

Alexandre does some work in the garden outside his family's home.
Photo ©2009 Andrea Peer/World Vision

Thanks to World Vision, Alexandre and his wife no longer live in fear; they have learned how to lead healthy, productive lives, despite their HIV status. Alexandre works hard to provide for his family, and has even begun teaching others how to start gardens. “The life that I have right now, even the life of my family, it is because of World Vision,” he says. “They gave me seeds to grow and they are still assisting me.”

Because of their World Vision sponsor, this family has also learned that they do not have to deal with their struggles alone. “It is amazing to learn that there are people who are compassionate enough to help people they don’t even know,” says Alexandre, marveling at the sponsor whose love helped to change his family’s life.

A former sponsored child's success prompts career goal of serving others

In 2007, Mayungo Mugandi completed his secondary education, thanks to his World Vision sponsor. Now 21, Mayungo plans to attend college in order to serve others.

August 2009

By Collins Kaumba, World Vision Zambia and Jane Larson, World Vision U.S.

Mayungo, 21, (right) lives in Zambia with his mother, cousin, and nephew. Thanks to his World Vision sponsorship, Mayungo can pursue his dream of attending college and becoming a social worker.
Photo ©2009 Collins Kaumba/World Vision

“Because World Vision has set an example, I [hope] to pay back by doing social work in order to advocate for the poor and for vulnerable children like me,” says Mayungo.

A difficult life

Growing up in rural Zambia, Mayungo experienced a great deal of loss throughout his childhood. Even though he was born into a family of 11, he is the only surviving child.

In addition to losing multiple children, both of Mayungo’s parents have health conditions that made it difficult for them to provide for Mayungo or pay for his schooling. Mary, Mayungo’s mother, is blind and weaves baskets out of grass to generate a meager income of just $4 a month. Mayungo helps her by gathering the grass from nearby fields for her baskets. Mayungo’s father has a mental illness and no longer lives with the family.

The blessing of an education

Because of the gift of a World Vision sponsor, Mayungo had the chance to go to school. In 2007, he completed high school and now provides for his mother. “If it [had not been] for God’s hand [through] World Vision, sponsoring me to finish my education up to secondary level, I would have never had a chance to be in class,” says Mayungo.

As a child sponsored through World Vision, Mayungo received access to food, clean water, health care, and education. Now that he has graduated from high school, Mayungo will become independent of sponsorship as he enters his college years.

Sponsor a child in Zambia. Your love and support can be the building blocks for one child like Mayungo to grow up and become a blessing to others in need.

Determined and focused, Mayungo hopes to go to college to study social work and pursue dreams of advocating for other children who are like him. “I chose this career because World Vision has set an example for me,” he explains.

Reflecting upon the impact of his sponsorship, Mayungo says, “Life has never been easy for me, but I thank God World Vision helped me to carry the burden by supporting me in school with boarding fees, books, uniforms, clothes, blankets, and many other needs. My parents have also been supported with food to survive.”

Gratitude and purpose

Mary Mugandi rejoices in her son’s sponsorship and the things that Mayungo has been able to achieve. “Those children of God have done wonderful things in my life…my child has now completed his secondary school. How could my husband and I manage to [support] such a thing [in] our conditions?

Mayungo helps his mother, who is blind, to weave baskets by collecting grass from nearby fields.
Photo ©2009 Collins Kaumba/World Vision

“It was going to be impossible. This is the greatest gift World Vision has ever given to me, and I’ll never forget it. My child is doing all these wonderful things because of his education.” Mary has good reason celebrate her son’s educational achievements, as only 17.5 percent of Zambian students actually complete high school.

Mayungo also wonders about the kind of person he would have become if World Vision sponsorship hadn’t allowed him to finish school. Through his education, Mayungo not only learned inside the classroom, but he became a responsible young man who takes care of his family. “I really thank my sponsor for being kind-hearted to help me all the way. My family and I greatly appreciate this,” Mayungo says, his eyes now looking toward a future that holds purpose.

Because of the generosity of World Vision sponsors, hundreds of thousands of children like Mayungo obtain the basic needs of food, health care, and education. Not only are physical necessities met, but children receive the gift of a hopeful future that leads to a life beyond poverty — a life that reaches out to others in need.