Life Goes On?

Hello Family and Friends!

Hope everything is going well for everyone!  I can't express enough how happy I am to be here. Mom and Dad honestly thank you is not enough to tell you how grateful I am to be here.  The past two days have been the most impacting yet.

We went to The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) which is the largest indigenous AIDS related NGO in Uganda. It has provided support to over 200,000 clients since 1987.  The organization works to provide drugs to HIV positive people and also counsels  their clients on how to overcome the social stigma associated with being HIV positive.  We had the chance to tour the organization and see a lot of the clients.

This experience overall was really eye- opening, inspirational, sobering, and I have really learned a lot.  We learn about HIV/AIDS in the United States in what I feel is a way too casual way.  We depend on the social stigma and movies to tell us on how we should react and treat people who are positive.  Personally, my perspective has changed after going to TASO.  We toured the facility and met with many counselors who help patients to cope with their disease.  All around us people sat waiting outside, in the halls, everywhere.  Everyone was able to see the other people waiting to go in, it was as if no one had any privacy.  After we went to the counseling offices we went to the labs where we went with doctors and they explained how people are tested and how HIV/AIDS really affects the body.

After that, we went outside and went to see the Children's Centre.  This is where affected mother's and children, including infants, go during the day while they are waiting to meet with the doctors. It was so incredibly sad to see this.  The children looked so sad, helpless, and sick.  It actually hit my friend Mary pretty hard and she ended up passing out.  It was really scary, but she is doing much better now.  But we ended the day at TASO by listening to a few of the employees who are also HIV positive sing songs about the hope and fight against AIDS, that there will someday be a cure.  It was very inspirational and moving.  I truly wish the best to all of the employees and patients of TASO and hope they stay strong and continue to fight.

With Love from the "Pride Lands"!