Testimonials
My name is Serkalem, and I am the mother of three beautiful girls. My eldest is 10 years old and the twins are almost three now. I contracted HIV/AIDS when I was a student. I remember being very sick in 2007 and going to the Sendafa clinic for a medical examination, where I was first told I had HIV in my blood. I was put on ART medication and follow up, which was how I got introduced to the PAAV team. They helped me recover well, which let me resume the education that was halted because of my illness. When I completed grade 10, I was informed that there was an open spot at the Sendafa Health Center. I applied and got the job that year because I desperately needed work at that time. My job entails following up the progress of HIV patients under the clinic's ART program. The PAAV team was an inspiration and I learned a lot from them on how to lovingly care for HIV patients and poor people. Over the years, Dr. Frew and the PAAV team have been my closest supporters. They consulted me, cared for me, and ensured that all my needs were met, even after two failed marriages. Of all the things that PAAV did for me, the one that will forever remain in my heart is the psychological support and words of encouragement I received from them. They gave me a new purpose and enabled me to live out that purpose. I am now able to reach out to people in dire need while I joyfully raise my children.
My name is Tayech. My daughter, Mesay, and I have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS for over a decade. When I first met Dr. Frew, I was on my deathbed. My mother and sister had already given up on Mesay and me, and kicked us out of the main house to live in the barn with the animals. The PAAV team helped me get cleaned up and literally back on my feet, supplying me and my daughter with food, medication, and a roof over our heads. Even with this initial help, things didn't turn around overnight. At school, Mesay had difficulty keeping up with her classes due to her medical condition. When I confided in her teacher about Mesay's illness, the teacher told others of the girl's condition, causing Mesay to be ostracized by her fellow students and looked at like she was the disease herself. Hearing of these challenges with the girl's education, Dr. Frew and team were able to provide support for an alternative school where Mesay could learn and thrive. The PAAV team has continued to walk alongside my family throughout the last year as COVID has decimated the Sendafa region. After initially regaining my health, I had been supporting Mesay and myself by fattening and selling cows. Due to a lack of water in the region, that job is no longer an option, so PAAV helped me with an investment to begin a business selling clothes at the local market. Despite all of these challenges, we remain upbeat and happy. Mesay is excited to continue her schooling, with a focus on history and the performing arts, and I am grateful to be able to provide hope and a future for her.
My name is Mulu. After giving birth to my first child, I came face to face with the fact that I was infected with HIV from my husband. I was disowned by my family due to my condition. Brokenhearted and distraught, I entered a period of severe depression. If I didn't have kids, I don't think I would have continued to live. I am now remarried, but we continue to struggle due to my new husband's violent temper and addiction to alcohol. I first met Dr. Frew at the local clinic where I receive my HIV medication. His team supplied money for me to start a business selling bread and other pastries. They regularly follow up with me to provide accountability and advice on how to make good business decisions. The PAAV team has also helped care for my children by providing things like school fees, uniforms, shoes, books, food, and other essential items. What makes the PAAV team's support different is their consistency and determination to walk alongside me through these difficult times.
My name is Demeku. Not long ago, I was confined to my bed due to HIV/AIDS. I lost mobility in one leg and one arm. The most painful reality of all, however, was that I was quickly becoming too ill to care for my son and daughter. I feared what would happen to them. When the local clinic said they could not help me, I felt all hope was lost. As they carried me out of the clinic, a man named Dr. Frew saw me and had great compassion. He and his team rented a room for my family. They provided food and clothes, and cared for us when I couldn't. After trying a few different medicines, I really began to improve! The next blessing I received was income generating funds from PAAV. I used those funds to start my business selling lentils at the market. Today, I have earned enough to build two homes, and I'm working on a third! I will rent two of the homes to others in my community. Before PAAV came into our lives, my children had no clothes, no way to attend school, and no hope. Now they are both fantastic students with a very bright future! I'm self-sufficient all because of the help we received from PAAV.
UPDATE
While Demeku's business grew, her children, Meseret and Solomon, have received school supplies and scholarship funding from the PAAV team in order to make it into the 8th grade. They both have been exemplary students and are in the top 10 in their class. Recently, they both excelled in the national exam, which is needed to enter high school. Meseret wants to become a medical doctor and Solomon wants to become a pilot.
My name is Dereje. A few years ago, HIV/AIDS began to ravage my body. I tried to stay active - to keep going for the sake of my family - but I grew weaker and weaker. Soon, it was clear that I was near death. My wife, Bezalum would be a widow, my children would be fatherless, and my heart was gripped with anguish at those thoughts. But when PAAV stepped into our lives, everything turned around. Dr. Frew gave me medicine, and his team cared for me. As my strength returned, my wife and I were thrilled, but also very eager to begin working. We received income generating funds through PAAV, allowing us to begin our injera-making (Ethiopian flatbread) business. A local hotel became our customer, and we began to provide 200 injera for them regularly. We received additional funds through PAAV to expand our business to include a tea room, where we also sell bread and crackers. Today, our hard work is a positive example to our community. Our neighbors call us "the smiley family," and it’s no wonder! Through the life-changing help we received from PAAV, our family has gone from hopeless to self-sufficient.
My name is Zenabee. I found out that I had HIV/AIDS while I was pregnant. Hearing the news, my husband abandoned me, leaving me to care for our newborn daughter alone. The disease was transmitted to her as well, and I feared the two of us had a lonely road of suffering ahead. My whole life changed for the better, however, when I met Dr. Frew. He offered me medicine, which allows me to live an active life, and provide for my daughter. I'm part of a team of women who have received income generating funds from PAAV to conduct the shower business at the bottle-houses (structures built with recycled plastic bottles filled with mud). We also wash clothes, and have started a small restaurant. I sell peppers too. I have so much hope now! My greatest joy is the happiness I see in my daughter. Her young eyes see that women can put their minds and hands to productive work in the marketplace - a priceless life-lesson, all thanks to PAAV.
