Meet Jerome
Like any hard working father of two, Jerome has high hopes for his children's future and his country's prospects to provide his family with continued opportunity. But Jerome's journey to where he is today is a little different to what his contemporaries in Ireland might have known...
When Mary Donohoe, Founder of The Rose Project was visiting Malawi in November 2008, she was shown around Likuni in capital city of Lilongwe parish by the hard-working Jerome. Like any self-employed father of two he has high hopes for his children's future and his country's prospects to provide his family with continued opportunity. But Jerome's journey to where he is today is a little different to what his contemporaries in Ireland might have known...
Jerome grew up in Likuni. Both of his parents died when he was young and he was left with nothing and no one to turn to. African countries do not have the same system of social welfare as we do, so being orphaned is not just a cause of psychological pain, it brings real physical hardships also.
Struggling to survive, but determined to make it, he secured a menial job in one of the government departments. When he became sick due to HIV, he was dismissed. This is not unusual.
By now, Jerome was married and had one child. With a piece of land that his father had owned, he started a farm growing crops and keeping a piggery. Today his farm is thriving and he's not only supporting his own family but his extended family too.
Jerome gets up each morning at 5am and starts to work. From early morning there is a steady stream of villagers coming to visit to buy his crops. He maintains his own health by eating carefully chosen nutritious food. Listening to him it is clear that he would be well employed as a nutritionist anywhere!
Jerome was one of a group who volunteered to accompany Mary Donohoe and Perry Ogden, a human rights photographer, during their visit to Likuni village in November 2008. They were there to visit the Likuni Parish community based programme funded by the Rose Project which looks after people living with or affected by HIV or AIDS.
Jerome is just another one of the many remarkable people you meet in Malawi. People who are determined to beat the situation they have been born into.
The good news is that Jerome and his wife have had a second child and during the pregnancy, his wife was treated with prevention of mother to child transmission treatment. Their baby was born HIV negative - a great outcome!
Did you know that there is a drug that can treat HIV positive women who are pregnant and can reduce the risk of transmission to of HIV for their baby from 58% to 2%? One of the main programmes The Rose Project is supporting for 2008 and 2009 is the prevention of transmission from mother to child in pregnancy. It is a wonderful programme and you can support it too. Donate online.
The Rose Project supports people affected by HIV or AIDS in Eastern & Southern Africa. It provides medical, nursing and pyscho-social care. It is named after Rose Atieno, a young Kenyan woman who was estimated to have been the 16 millionth person to die of AIDS.
Find out about projects funded by The Rose Project.
