In newsletter no. 26, volunteer and deacon Thomas Müller tells of a seriously ill young child whom he calls “Khethiwe”. The newsletter explicitly says that names are pseudonyms and that Müller sometimes combined several cases and scenes in his articles. This is therefore an anonymised account, partly condensed from the work of that time.
The child was critically ill when she arrived at the Care Centre. Her mother died shortly after admission. The team cared for the girl, while her grandmother regularly made a long journey to visit. With nutrition and nursing care, the child regained strength. Her grandmother agreed to antiretroviral treatment and attended the required training.
According to the newsletter, almost six months after the team had feared for her life, the girl left the Care Centre holding her grandmother’s hand. The source gives no account of her later life. The photograph shows Thomas Müller, the author, rather than the child in the story.
Source: Newsletter no. 26 (2006/2007), p. 2, “Khethiwe may live”.