POOR BUT BLESSED, Peke Mafuli fights HIV with hope.

By Stanley Mpasa

Peke Mafuli is a young mother who was born 30 years ago to poor parents in the district of Phalombe, south east of Malawi. She never went far with education due to lack of support and by the time she turned 19, she became pregnant and had her first child, Mwaiwawo. As a consequence, her dream for education was shattered. 

Peke and her twins

Five years ago Peke’s health started deteriorating and she started having frequent illnesses. The ADRA Malawi  Trainer of Trainer Project (TOT) Counselor for the area, Herbert Kusamale noticed Peke’s situation and visited her several times to advise her to go to the hospital for treatment and HIV testing. After testing positive, she was put on anti retro-viral treatment (ART) and the counselor continued to visit her to monitor her progress and offer his support. The constant counseling helped Peke so much that her health improved tremendously.
In 2010 she became pregnant again and because she was able to access prevention of mother to child transmission ( PMTCT)  services, she gave birth to twins, Chisomo and Edith, who are HIV negative.
 Life continues to be a struggle for Peke due to her poverty and she needs the material and psychological support for her and the children.