Thusanang Pictures: Agneta Jürisoo ……………………….. Partner Church in Zimbabwe

The staff at Thusanang, mrs Makhurane, Agneta Jürisoo, mr Moyo, miss Ndlovu, mr Nare, mr Dube and mr Muleya.

We should fight the disease – not the people who have it.

Mr Mahupulo, Chairman of Kafusi local council talks to two of Thusanangs fieldworkers and mr Myambo, a teacher who is doing work experience at Thusanang as part of his Master’s degree.

Meeting outside Thusanang during a course for home based carers.

Vashandiri women outside Bethel church during a weekend meeting where Thusanang was invited to talk about HIV/AIDS, antiretroviral medicines and that children also have the right to be tested and receive medication.

Mrs Makhurane at Thusanang – wearing purple in honour of the day – and newly ordained deacon Noko.

Mtangamchema Home based care team. The theme for the day is teenage pregnancy and the needs of illegal emigrants for medical care. Getting their children to understand that they need to return home and receive care if they get ill is a significant problem for many parents.

Home based care course in Gungwe where they practise and tall about how to take care of a patient. Role play is a common teaching method.

Home visit by mr Dube to mr Dube who is lame and needs help with physiotherapy. Relatives and volunteers learn how to carry out the physiotherapy.

Women at a monthly meeting of Thusanangs home based carers. Visiting the sick in their homes is an important part of the work. Two hundred volunteers meet between 8 and 9 hundred patients between them, including both those recently infected and the dying and their relatives.

A meeting with single women and a discussion about the drought. How is it possible to survive when nothing is growing in the fields? For many the answer is having a relation in South Africa.

Home based carers sign for packages which they hand out to patients. The packages contain personal care items and are donated by the Lutheran Church in the USA.

Trained support workers are available for those living with hiv and aids. Thusanang helps with support and advice.

A course for young people in Thusangs premises in Manama.

Course for young people with the task of answering the question “Who am I?” The aim is that they should find and understand their own self image. The question is what do you want your life to look like in ten years. What will you do in order to grow up, stay healthy and have your own children – and avoid HIV and AIDS?

Talent Jamela on a course at Thusanang which is about hiv/aids, how to protect onseself and survive as well as helping those who are infected.

Everyone on the course outside Entepe church with the Pastor Moyo and the staff of Thusanang.

Significant progress has been made as regards talking about HIV and AIDS, that the disease exists and how it is spread.

Fidelity in relationships is emphasised, not least as a protection against infection.

Men have often been forgotten in the work against hiv and aids and at their request special meetings are now being organised for them. The meetings are led by Thusanangs male fieldworkers.

Dendele drilled well is restaured. The men carried out their work first and then gathered for a lesson about hiv and aids.

The villagers get together to fix the drilled well. Water is a major problem as the drought means that dams and wells are dry.

Itumelung shows an ilala basket, made from the leaves of the ilala-palm. The baskets are made to provide an income for the family, school fees and food.

Monica Bebhe with her nephew. Monica is HIV-positive and very open about it. She helps to teach about HIV and AIDS. When her brother died she had to take care of his son.

Sitkhogozile Ncube is 16, an orphan and born with hiv. She lives with her brother who has Downs syndrome. Thusang helps her with her school fees.

Welcome Nglowo, one of the orpahns who recieves help from Thusanang.

Khotzofalo has has a club foot and deformed knees since birth. He has been given a wheelchair by Thusanang who have also helped with his school fees and provided a toilet for the family.

Things have gone well for him since he got the chance to go to school. The teachers are very helpful and positive, the pupils help to push him in the wheelchair and his parents make sure that he gets to school.

The whole family and Thusanangs staff gathered around Khotzofalo. The support he has received has given him a completely new life.

An infected person can look like anyone – look at yourself in the mirror.