MWENYA’S DIARY

                                                                   By Mwenya Mukuka

The devastating effects of HIV and AIDS in Zambia have seen many children going into the streets because families can not manage the extra burden of taking care of extended family members, this coupled with the disintegrating family values has also resulted in OVCs falling prey to the many immoral acts in society. These children have become thieves, prostitutes and end up a lost human resource of the country. With the coming up of orphanages which is a fairly new concept altogether some children have been given hope. Zambia in the recent past, probably the last two decades has seen a break in family linkages partly to the inheritance of western family values. Children have found home in orphanages. These homes assure children of better education, love, care, support and a bright future at the demise of their parents. These homes are supported by donor money. And just in a few years, so many have come up instantly becoming homes to many OVCs. Beauty (not real name) was born in 1986 in Ndola, the provincial capital of the copperbelt province. Her parents were lecturers at one of government owned higher learning institutions there. Being the only child she had all the privileges from her parents. Beauty had turned 14 when her parents died of HIV/AIDS complications. She was ushered into an orphanage because relations side could not take care of her. At 14 she had just come of age. She was introduced at an orphanage where she found other girls in a similar predicament and some in worse. At the orphanage she became so close to one male teacher. ‘He told me all sorts of good words a girl my age and state would want to hear. He said I was beautiful, brilliant and just incomparable. All I needed was to be focused and forge ahead if I was to be an accountant as my father was. All those good words reminded me of my parents and I felt so close to that man as I had in a long time never been told all those good words. The last to tell me how beautiful I was, was my late father months after my mother had died.’ A victim of unreported sexual abuse narrated to this writer amid sobs. Amid sobs she continued ‘I became so close to that teacher. I confided in him all my feelings. One time, he took me out along as he went to drink beer at night. I sneaked out of the orphanage. At the bar, he forced me several times to take a sip of some brand of a beer he was taking. I declined the offer and when I came back from the loo, I discovered that my drink had become bitter. I braved the bitterness and continued to take it and the next moment I was lying naked next to my teacher in one of the apartments at the orphanage just meters away from the girls’ dormitory. Blood covered my thighs and I knew what that man had done to me. I was no longer a virgin. Upon that realisation a sharp pain moved from between the legs. I hate my self. I told my self my virginity I was gone. I was now in a confused state and all I wanted was to leave that room. I stood up and opened the door slowly. My teacher was still was still asleep when I left. It was early in the morning and I could see the sun rising from the window that faced the east. Just coming out of that room I came face to face with the matron as though it was a rehearsed scenario. I knew I had lost it all. That matron was very strict…………………….’ ‘We cannot keep a dishonourable child like you. The board has therefore concluded that you leave this place because you will teach other girls your immoral acts. We urge you to repent of your sins………..’ Read the expulsion letter to Beauty in part. Beauty Left the orphanage ‘leaving her virginity’ at the orphanage. The abuser (Teacher), because he had been at the orphanage for some time and was good at project proposals was only suspended for two weeks. Beauty, the victim of un-reported sexual abuse in an orphanage now resides in one of the shanty townships of Kitwe with her newly made friends. All dreams of becoming an accountant gone. ‘I hate that man for taking away my virginity. A treasure I wanted to give my love. He crushed my life’ Beauty concluded. Her oval shaped face with eyes that can send any man to his knees looks so pale, literally with no life. She hates herself such that she had tempted twice to take her life each time she thought of that rapist teacher. This is just one of the unreported cases of sexual abuse in orphanages. An inquiry into the operations of the orphanages in the country is long over due. Just how many children have been sexually abused, impregnated and just face all sorts of abuse behind the doors of so many orphanages that have sprung up in Zambia? How many have been forced to abort to save the face of the orphanage or could the country account for children that have been ‘sold’ to foreigners from these homes on the pretext of adoption? Recently a senior government official in Chibombo expressed concern at the rampant abuse of children in orphanages in the district which has resulted in one orphanage recording 50 pregnancies this year. District Commissioner, Stephen Nyirongo threatened with closure of such orphanages in the area, which are involved in illicit activities and operating below the required standards. He said this when he addressed Chisamba township residents at Chisamba depot. Although he expressed sadness by the reports that 50 orphans at a named institution were impregnated this year alone is not enough. There is need to devise guidelines which would be distributed to all those looking after the OVCs. The impregnating of the 50 Orphaned girls at the particular orphanage puts their HIV status in question which is a sad state of affairs. It is so barbaric that people who are supposed to take care of the OVCs are taking advantage of the vulnerability by defiling them. I take it that these are teens and assume that they are virgins like Beauty was, so these unthinkable men have gone to an extent of taking the pride of these innocent children by sexually abusing them and just wonder how many have HIV now, Shame! The law should take its course because just a warning as issued by the Chibombo district commissioner that such an institution may face closure is not enough. 50 girls, all pregnant within nine months is sad and they will have children without fathers. What a sad development to the nation. At least we are not in the process of promoting a generation of fatherless children. This should bring concern to any right thinking individual because this evident rampant abuse of children in orphanages in Chibombo district is worrisome. The revelation should be followed and culprits be prosecuted to prevent further occurrence of the same in the future. My suspicions are that the same trend is happening in many parts of the country but it is just that it is not reported. How many OVCs are in pain at the hands of people purporting to be care givers? I reiterate my demand that the law takes its course in this matter with the urgency it deserves because this is a pure destruction of young people’s lives. Zambia has been hit with the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS, leaving children orphaned everyday, therefore where is this nation heading to if children are no longer safe in the hands of those claiming to have safe havens for children in the name of orphanages? The children who are now expecting might be going through different emotions and may be made bitter people in future resulting in a bitter generation. Care givers should know that they have a responsibility of moulding children into people of good moral standing and integrity in society and prevent a future of low self esteem. If this trend continues where orphaned children will be impregnated in orphanages then we will have a generation of fatherless children. The orphanage that has recorded 50 pregnancies should be closed with immediate effect and officials be brought to book to help with investigations with what really transpired for such a number of girls to be in a family way within a year.

                                By Mwenya Mukuka
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a cultural practice that started in Africa approximately 2000 years ago. It is primarily a cultural practice, not a religious practice. But some religions do include FGM as part of their practices. This practice is so deep-seated into these cultures, and gives definition of members of such cultures. People in such culture believe that a girl would never become a woman without such procedure. In order to eliminate the practice one must eliminate the cultural belief that a girl will not become a woman without this procedure.
Female Genital Mutilation is the term used for removal of all or just part of the external parts of the female genitalia. There are three varieties to this procedure.
*Sunna Circumcision which consists of the removal of the prepuce (retractable fold of skin, or hood) and /or the tip of the clitoris. Sunna in Arabic means “tradition”. Then Clitoridectomy the removal of the entire clitoris (prepuce and glands) and the removal of the adjacent labia.
Infibulation (pharonic circumcision) consists of performing a clitoridectomy (removal of all or part of the labia minora, the labia majora). This is then stitched up allowing a small hole to remain open to allow for urine and menstrual blood to flow through.
One of the sources during the research on the subject said that genital mutilation is meant to make women be kept clean, and have the same shape of vagina hence preventing men to go for other women. The development prevents adultery and consequently reducing the infection rate of HIV. Could it a reason why in the regions where the practice is done has low infections of HIV and indeed be a solution to reducing the infection rate of HIV?
The practice described above may not be in practice in Zambia but there is a kind of mutilation that is not spoken about yet it mutilation. The pulling of the labia to length them. According to a marriage councillor who declined to be name d for fear of that her fellow will look at her as a disgrace the women folk told this writer that women are encouraged to pull the labia.
‘As woman you suppose to know what a man wants. As you are sleeping with your man he should have what to play with on your womanhood as that would make him feel moved easily’ She noted. 
 ‘Besides that, when you pull your labia it will make your womanhood bulge hence stimulating a man when you pull down your clothes before your man’. She added
And a female Journalism student at ZAMCOM in Lusaka Chola Mwamba conceded to the above.
She said ‘ the practice (labia pulling) is tradition and women feel that they cannot run away from Tradition and Culture. According to tradition, the longer the labia, the more a man is stimulated sexually.’
Chola further disclosed that when a woman reaches puberty, she is told the importance of pulling the labia but elders do not disclose the role it plays in stimulating both the man and her sexually.
Chola however believes that the invasion of western culture on the country’s culture is making women ‘relax’ and forget about the importance of keeping the tradition as a way of sustaining the partner’s sexual desire and tame them.
‘It is believed that some women lose their partners because of their failure to have what they call ‘the required Womanhood parts.’ And it is indeed worth noting that some men are sometimes not content with what their respective partners offer in terms of their womanhood and end up having extra sexual affairs.’
‘Beauty and love can be there, but women should be reminded to keep the tradition in order to strengthen their sexual relationship with their partners.’ Chola recommended lastly.
Another Lusaka primary school teacher admitted women usually pull the labia. ‘Its true we pull, especially when you are missing your man, watch a romantic movie or when he calls you especially in the night’ She said.
Another woman markteeer from Soweto market after a long hesitation in answering to questions about the about the practice she finally admitted.
‘Every woman do that, why be left out if you want to keep your man.’ ‘After all we do it for the good our men’. She added.
Further investigations about the issue of pulling the labia, a prominent woman politician and another woman finance director of prominent firm in Lusaka all said that the practice is there but cannot be defined as genital mutilation.
‘You media people, so you want this issue to come out in the open, why do are interested in talking about the women issues? It is there but that can’t be regarded as genital mutilation. Genital mutilation is bad. And please don’t quote me nakupapata’ Said the politician.
If such women from all sector of society can agree to labia pulling and if we agree with the definition given in the BBC English dictionary of the world Mutilation that defines it as damaging, then Genital mutilation is alive in Zambia . One would just wonder what effects have been in our women who have pulled their labia for the benefit of their sexual partners. Since women don’t want the issue to be spoken about it shall continue to be practiced in silence and the culture will definitely move to the next generation.
But women should know that labia pulling can result in small amounts of urine getting trapped inside the membrane, and the woman can get an infection, and irritation of the skin and lining of the vagina even repeated bladder infections. Sometimes there can be trouble with toilet training, because a little urine gets caught above the fused labia (inside the vagina), and leaks out after she gets off the toilet, wetting her pants. This can be embarrassing to a very woman. Pulling the labia can be painful, and there can be a little bleeding along the edges of the labia. As the labia heal, the edges can fuse together again.
In the continued search for more information on the issue another recently married Lusaka based female broadcaster admitted to the trend. ‘My grand mother when I got of age told me to start pulling the labia. When I resisted she told my father who told me if I didn’t do it,I was going to be a ‘man’’ .She said. She further said that pulled labia acts as ‘hands’ to hold the penis when making love so that it doesn’t come out easily when the man pushes up and down’ 
Labia pulling as put by one interviewee that it is done for the sake of men bring me to the so-called “dry sex”. This is practiced whereby girls and women attempt to dry out their vaginas in an effort to provide more pleasurable sex to men. This dryness is achieved by using certain herbs and ingredients that reportedly reduce vaginal fluids and increase friction during intercourse. Given the likelihood that dry sex will cause tears and lacerations in the vaginal wall, especially among adolescent girls, the practice increases the risk of HIV transmission.
According to a 1999 report by the Ministry of Health and the Central Board of Health to enhance male pleasure, a number of women continue to practice dry sex, which can increase vulnerability to infection through exposing genital organs to bruising and laceration.
While in Zambia the practice is being discouraged it is hard to know whether it is on the decline. One woman said ‘men love dry sex. If you’re wet, they think it’s not normal”. Counselors at Young Women’s Christian Association drop-in centre in Lusaka , explained that women are made to believe that they are supposed to be dry. There is even a name given to those who are too wet, they are called ‘ Chambeshi River ’, referring to massive current flow of water in Chambeshi River . Some men tell ladies that being wet mean that they have been with too many men. Women tend to continue practicing dry sex all in sought of maintaining the relationship.        

                          BY MWENYA MUKUKA

Studies have revealed that the growth of child prostitution in Southern Africa is due largely to poverty, unequal gender relationships, a breakdown of family structures, limited access to education by young girls and sexual abuse. Other reasons for Child prostitution, which is a growing phenomenon in Southern Africa , include chronic family poverty owing to a lack of employment for adults and young persons; a breakdown in family support mechanisms; migration; gender inequality; and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Another contributory cause is the inadequacy of the education systems, which provide quality schooling for only a limited number of children.Of all, one of reason deserves particular attention due to the urgency and magnitude of the problem. The escalating number of people affected by HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa seems to be a major reason for the increase in child labour in general, and child prostitution in particular. This phenomenon raises questions regarding legislation, including the labour legislation of most countries (in which prostitution is not recognised as a form of labour), and penal legislation (which usually criminalises prostitution).What also needs to be looked at is the child’s own power to make decisions: that is to take responsibility for his or her actions.The notion of the child’s decision to become a prostitute is in no way used to blame or criminalize the child, but to illustrate that the child usually in order to survive or improve living conditions makes a conscious choice to earn money by selling sexual favours. This decision may, however, be driven by a lack of alternative opportunities.Some workers in the field of child welfare have noticed that while working in several countries in Southern Africa most girls are forced to earn money without ever having had the benefit of the kind of education that would allow them to get a job guaranteeing cash income. As in most parts of the world, raising a girl in Southern Africa still means to prepare her for being a good wife and mother. Thus, girls are taught to manage a household, to help raise their smaller siblings, and above all to please men in bed. Consequently, for girls without any professional training prostitution is a means to earn cash income. A Rapid Assessment (RA) into the situation of child labour was carried out in Mozambique by UNICEF and representatives of the Ministry of Labour in 1999–2001.Its aim was to obtain qualitative information on the causes, conditions and consequences of child labour in Mozambique. This was done to determine whether there was a need for intervention and, if so, what kind would be required. In the course of several national and provincial preparatory meetings, those participating in the RA identified child prostitution as one area of child labour that needed to be investigated. Since prostitution is not recognised as work according to Mozambican legislation, child prostitutes are technically not considered to be workers. Furthermore, prostitution is illegal in Mozambique , as in most other countries. Despite these considerations, those researching child labour in Mozambique decided to include child prostitution as one of the key occupations to be investigated.Preliminary discussions evolved around the terminology of child abuse, commercial sexual exploitation, child sex workers and child prostitution.In Mozambique, stakeholders from government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), unions and employers agreed not to use the term ‘sex workers’, partly because of the legislation referred to above.As the following common definitions for child prostitution show, in most cases reference is made to the exploitative character of the phenomenon. There are various definitions used for the work of child prostitutes: Back home here in Zambia , the situation is a bit different. Child prostitution is often done in hiding.  Queen mothers especially in the urban, fishing camps sale the young people to ‘older’ people for a living. According to a research by the movement for Community Action on the for the Prevention and Protection of Young People Against Poverty, Diseases, Destitution, and Exploitation in Lusaka recently revealed that these children though are ‘sold’ exorbitantly, they never have a bit of it. After a bit of experience they form their own camps of sex workers leaving their queens. These children in their early days have a lot of market because men prefer young sex workers but after some years in the system business begin to decline and this makes them relocate to other places.

‘Have moved around Zambia since I started the business. Have been even been to South Africa just to find where I could find market.’ Noted a former sex worker who is now married with a kid and born again.

‘I started after my father failed to provide for us when he was pruned from the mines in Luashya. I was 16 then’ She disclosed. Most sex workers learn the vive from neighbors, relatives and from friends. There is need to address the issue of Child prostitution as it will have a terrible effect on the female folk in Zambia .The development became worse after the movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) took office in 1991. It embarked on structural adjustment programme (SAP), which was thought to revamp the performance of the companies in the nation. The development saw the privatization of many parastatal companies.But prior to the return to multipartism in 1991 many people depended much on employment as the main source of their living. They provided for their children and indeed the companies especially the mines provided social amenities that prevented children to get involved in immoral activities.Indeed on the copperbelt province, the region that was the base of Zambia ’s economy collapsed after the mines were given in the hands of the foreigners, as if that was not enough, many Zambians were thrown out of employment and some died without receiving benefits a situation that developed into the breaking of many social fibres.Families broke up because they cannot manage to look after their brothers’, sister’s children and the issue of extended families which was so highly upheld by Zambians is slowly fading, all because of poor economic status of many.Streetism has become the order. Children are being subjected to so many immoral doings. The women organizations have claimed that the worst affected and who are failing to survive for long on the street are girls. Those who have not been able to go onto the streets have resorted to prostitution. ‘Business people’ have taken advantage of the vulnerability of girl children and traffic them under the pretence of giving them good jobs in the foreign lands. This attracts our females.The movement for Community Action on the for the Prevention and Protection of Young People Against Poverty, Diseases, Destitution, and Exploitation (MAPODE) Director Merab Kiremire at a workshop for Journalists on Human trafficking last year said that “Human traffic especially of young is growing in Zambia and if we are not careful our girls will diminish”. “The media should rise to the occasion and prevent our girls from being exploited in the foreign land because they never come back alive,” She added. These developments have come because of many factors among them poverty.Mwaka (Not real name) became a prostitute at the age of 15. She leant the skill from her guardian who failed to take her to school after she was thrown out of employment and told her she was beautiful and that men would like her so much. Besides she would make a posh living out of that.In many parts of the world, the problem of child prostitution is a frightening reality with tragic outcomes. Often   child prostitutes involve themselves in drug abuse and crime. They feel frustrated, worthless and see little or no prospect of escaping their wretched lives.Despite the noble intentions of many people who want to stop child prostitution, the problem is growing. What leads to this horrific situation? Why do many tolerate or even promote such criminal activity?Human trafficking is now representing the world’s third largest criminal activity, overtaken only by drugs and weapon trafficking. Child prostitution thrives in an environment of misery and poverty. According to MAPODE   director Merab Kiremire a non-governmental organization working in the prevention of human trafficking in Zambia , prostitution is clearly linked to the disintegration of the family and the fruits of hunger and misery. Some parents claim poverty led them to sell their children into prostitution while those on the streets sort to selling their bodies as the only means of survival.With the high incidence of sexually transmitted diseases such a s AIDS, customers are willing to pay far higher charges for children who are considered more likely to be virgins and thus less likely to be HV+.

One would ask, “Will child prostitution come to an end?” Yes it can come to an end if the government put up right policies regarding the empowerment of the families in the nation.

By Mwenya Mukuka.

The numbers are staggering. The pain is long term. The affect on society is deep reaching. May be the word ‘genocide’ can easily be made to fit this tragedy. And gender exploitation lies at the centre of the problem - AIDS in Zambia. History has it that, after Zambia’s first reported AIDS diagnosis in 1984 a rise in HIV prevalence has come forth. By the year 1993, surveys of pregnant women found infection rates of 27% in urban areas and 13-14% elsewhere. Unlike in the USA or Western Europe, HIV in Zambia is not primarily a disease of the most underprivileged; infection has not left the wealthy people and the better educated. Repeated statements have been that; HIV prevalence is considerably higher in urban areas than elsewhere. According to the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey of 2001-2002 preliminary reports, Lusaka recorded 25% of the women infected with HIV, among pregnant women; the highest rates were also recorded in the capital (home to 10% of the population), Kabwe and Ndola. Western Province’s capital, Mongu and the cross-border trading centres of Chipata and Livingstone a tourist resort had high infection rates. It has been estimated that urban areas then contained 23% of all adults living with HIV or AIDS. Prevalence data on HIV in Zambia come from testing pregnant women at antenatal clinics and population-based surveys in selected areas. Since 1990, some 36 sites have been included in national antenatal surveillance on at least one occasion. It should be noted that this does leave substantial gaps, including some of the larger towns. Statistics show that Biological and social factors make women and girls more vulnerable to AIDS than men, especially in adolescence and youth. In many places HIV infection in young women has been found to be 3-5 times higher than among boys. Violence or the threat of violence against women increases their vulnerability to HIV and reduces their ability to protect themselves against infection. Gender also plays a key role in the spread of HIV in three key areas: sexual assault, culture and development. The lack of control over sex, which many women experience, is nowhere more apparent than in societies in the midst of conflict or with uncontrollable crime problems. In countries with ten to twenty five percent infection rates, presumably higher among young male rapists, non-enforced laws and treaties concerning sexual violence do little to prevent the spread of HIV. Similarly, troops in Sudan, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, and in the Congo have all been accused of using rape as a weapon of war. The conflict involving six African nations it is easy to see how armed conflict and male sexual violence are significant conduits for the spread of HIV throughout the continent. With an eye on African troops, the UN Security Council has sought to mandate HIV tests for all troops participating in peacekeeping operations a move that has been resisted by African nations upon concerns of privacy violations and discrimination against infected peacekeepers. As the governments of developing countries receive a relatively substantial stipend for the services of their armed forces, there are clear economic reasons for this resistance as well. The threat, however, is not just from HIV positive soldiers spreading the virus where they are stationed, but also from the real possibility that they will catch such while working internationally. The issue of culture come in so strongly. Many suggest that men are the primary cause of the AIDS epidemic. Some women rights activists have asserted that male promiscuity is a major source of the infection in homes. They say men have more partners than women, generally control when and how sex is conducted and is the driving force behind demand oriented prostitution. As a result of this perspective a trend should be set toward analysing and attempting to manipulate male values and identity as a solution to the AIDS crisis. The goal should be to move away from a masculinity that is tied directly to how many sexual partners one has, toward one of protecting yourself and your family. Again looking at it critically, this type of examination, however, identifies only one part of the problem, and ignores the poverty women face economically and powerlessness in negotiating sexual intimacy. The two, together, make women vulnerable to the unhealthy attitudes of men and should themselves be the focus of anti-AIDS efforts. Zambian HIV activists Professor Nkandu Luo noted at one point that ‘Boosting women’s power provides a proven barricade against the virus.’ This can come with a political will from governments and traditional leaders taking leading role. Traditional leaders in Africa get defensive at times in discussing HIV out of fear of supporting racist caricatures of hypersexual men in Africa and sexual frenzied African women. At the same time commentators, dancing the fine line between ignorance and racism, politely suggest that African traditions support polygamy, and thereby promiscuity, and consequently the spread of HIV. It is sad that in some societies men have continued to view sexual contact with many women as a sign of manhood. They say the more women - the more of a man you and some tend to believe that ‘live’ sex that is without a condom is the best saying a woman should feel the ‘heat of the mans bullets’. And for a poor woman, the poorer is, the less educated, the lower the ability to choose who to sleep with and the fewer rights she will have to negotiate for safe sex subsequently the higher the rates of HIV infection among women. The initiative by the Boy Empowerment International (BEI) a non-governmental organisation addressing the plight of the boy child in Zambia, to bring ‘boys’ together to discuss HIV is a welcome development. Because if men do not come in the open and discuss HIV/AIDS the result will be, a strong reluctance to discuss promiscuity among themselves and sexually transmitted diseases. BEI founder Mrs.Matildah Chikopela Lisita said ‘the open    discussions dubbed, Let the men Talk will make them change perceptions on issues like STIs.’ Lisita added ‘Like contracting STI is viewed as being the fault of the infected person, who is usually ostracized and condemned.’ With poverty leading to conflict, prostitution and the sugar daddy/mummy syndrome, the solution should be obvious - development is the answer. Sadly, this is not the case; all too often development has resulted in the increased economic exploitation and impoverishment of women and subsequently a reduction in their negotiating power in sexual relationships. Millions have died, millions more will die, and if the current situation is not addressed deaths of AIDS related will continue to occur at a faster pace. Non governmental Organisation coordinating council NGOCC board chairperson Lucy Muyoyeta said ‘lets put an end to High levels of poverty by putting up right policies, Violence against women Trafficking in women, High levels of prostitution and Cultural prohibitions on land ownership by wives.

By Mwenya Mukuka

When Angela Musonda (not real name) was admitted at the University Teaching hospital in August 1997, with severe nose bleeding, she did not know doctors were going to diagnose a totally different ailment that would change her life totally and later lead her to the graveyard. Her mother had rushed the 22-year-old from Chibolya compound to the hospital via Kanyama clinic to have the excessive bleeding, the swollen head and other complications that appeared immediately after she delivered. Doctors managed to stop the bleeding but the other complications became worse that she was in hospital for seven months without change. After further examinations her, doctors suggested HIV test be done. Her mother after hesitating for some days, she consulted the husband to Angela, he was so arrogant and never wanted to hear anything of that nature. He accused the parents to his wife of ‘fabricating’ stories that he made their child sick. As far as he was concerned, he was done with Angela, after all he had moved on and now living with another woman. After getting Angela’s belonging from her husband, Angela’s mother went to consult her brother who suggested that the test be done to determine if indeed it was HIV that was a problem with her. Angela couldn’t make a choice due to the degree of her sickness.  The results were positive:  Not only was she HIV positive it was discovered that her heart valves were not functioning properly. According to the Uncle, Maurice Chunga, the Doctor told them ‘one of her valves known, as Mitral valve was not allowing oxygenated blood to move freely from the left atrium into the left ventricle.’ This kind of condition is known as rheumatic heart disease, which is a permanent damage to either one of the four heart valves – mitral, pulmonary, aortic, and tricuspid - as a result of rheumatic fever. In this case, the damaged heart valve either does not completely close or open when blood flows through it. “When they told me about the results, I was very much shocked. My mind was full of thoughts of where we were going to get the life prolonging drugs (ARVs). We didn’t have the money, it was really a double tragedy for me and my family,” Says Angela’s mother while holding Mabvuto (Angela’s son). By then Cabinet had not approved the free provision of ARVs.The family had no money for the heart disease and the ARVs. The only hope for the heart problem Angela has laid in the promise from the ministry of health that it was going through procedures sending her to South Africa for specialised treatment. The baby needed some Lactogene, for the mother was now so ill that she could not breast feed. The family had no money for that. ‘ I wish we never knew the problem my daughter had, it makes feel bad.’ Angela’s mother said amidst some sobs and tears dropping from her white oval shaped eyes. Angela was in and out of the UTH for six months while relatives tried to arrange for money for her to access the ARVs. Herbs couldn’t do any change on her. She lost weight so much. The Doctors after seeing that her condition was not improving she was transferred to a hospice. She just spent two weeks in the hospice, and on the 13^th of May 1999, she died. ‘It was so sad to my niece’s light skinned body, pretty face, which sent many men off their feet, stopped functioning’ Her uncle told this writer. Angela’s husband never showed up at the funeral. The Mbuya’s (traditional cousins to late Angela’s family) tried to locate him only to discover he had moved house to Choma with the woman he had married when Angela was still sick. At this point, the young boy Angela was keeping let the cat out of the bag. He said Angela was a punching bag. She was bitten each time she questioned why her husband could be moving out with other women when he had her. When she kept quite the situation was worse, he would say ‘you don’t care about me, why are you not asking where I slept, so ill kill you to’. The boy echoed what Angela’s husband would say. Angela couldn’t report him to the victim support unit or the family. She kept quite. All because she was afore warned that the man she was marrying was marrying was bad despite his good outward appearance. Besides that warning, she didn’t report the domestic violence was that she really wanted to be called a ‘Mrs’ somebody as she saw unmarried women in her neighbourhood not respected. After Angela’s burial, when relatives were searching in one of her handbags there was some STI medication, which suggested she had suffered sexually transmitted Infections possibly from the husband. Although Angela said at one time that she had seen some signs, of plunging herself into danger she never thought she would die of HIV/AIDS related illness. The hardest and most shocking part came when, five years later after Angela was laid to rest till God comes at the old Leopards cemetery, her husband resurfaced. Wanting to have Mabvuto. Mabvuto was now a big boy, thank God when he was taken for HIV test, it was negative. Angela’s husband appeared and claimed the child. After hesitation Angela’s family forgave him after he paid admission of guilty fee of 200,000 Kwacha. He was cleansed and got the child. The other reason that caused them to let go the Mabvuto was that they didn’t have enough money to send him to school. Six months later, Mabvuto was no more. He was run over by the speeding as he was selling roosted groundnuts. When Mabvuto’s grandmother went to the funeral she was amazed at getting the story of mistreatment that the young boy went through. How he was victim of beating from his father for failing to tell him where his stepmother had gone to at times. The burial of Mabvuto marked the end of the unspoken domestic violence.