Babiza?’s Story

?“I am used to the idea that my mum is living with HIV. I don?’t have a problem with it now, unlike when I heard it for the first time. I always think about the day when my mum called us and told us about the fact that she was HIV-positive. My mum was sick. She was in and out from hospital. She phoned my father and told him she was going to be tested for HIV and the test came back positive. I heard my father saying to my mum: ?‘Unengculaza!?’ [You?’ve got AIDS!]?”

?‘Unengculaza!?’ [You?’ve got AIDS!]?”

Ten-year-old Siphelele Nlovu (nicknamed Babiza) is presenting a slide show at a HIVAN conference on how his book, Babiza?’s Story came about. He talks about the process in which he was guided to express his feelings about his mother?’s positive status in words and drawings. The above is an extract from the book. His mother sits in the front row, dabbing away tears of pride as she watches her son holding court in front of a room full of delegates from around the world.

His book is part of the UNESCO Most ?“Growing Up in Cities?” (GUIC) project, which was launched in 1996 in this country. Jill Kruger, South African Director of the GUIC has been developing this project since GUIC?’s launch. The idea was sparked off when Kruger decided to tell one of her first documentaries from the child?’s point of view. In that documentary, 13 year-old Zukiswa scripted her own narrative to form the narration to the film. Babiza?’s Story is the first book in a formal UNESCO series ?’By Children, For Children?’, which hopes to give voice to other children to deal with their lives and environments.

?”We decided to focus on the HIV issue because it has such an impact on the lives of so many of the youngsters we encounter in peri-urban areas,?” says Kruger in her introduction to the project. ?“Another reason we decided to focus on HIV is because children find it a very confusing issue. Parents don?’t always disclose their status and there is a lot of fear surrounding the situation. Children don?’t realise that their parents can be strong even though they are HIV-positive.?”

Babiza talks about his slide show where a photograph shows him and a fourth-year social science student, Zanele Mthembu, sitting on a beach. They are talking about his feelings in discovering his mother?’s status.

?”We decided to ask Zanele to facilitate the discussions,?” says Kruger, ?“so that she could help if any crisis arose. Even though Babiza is fluent in English, it was a good idea to have Zanele there if there were finer points which needed clarity. Babiza could decide every day where we would work. Sometimes we would sit on the beach, and sometimes we would talk at his house. It was important that he felt comfortable.?”

Babiza shows a slide of a photograph where he is helping his mother grind mealies for bread. He reads an extract from the book.

?”I am taking care of my mum. I am able to do things that will extend her life. Sometimes I carry the heavy grinding stone to the place where she wants to grind mealies [corn] for her bread. I also help her to grind. When my mum is sick I help her with medication in bed and with water to drink her pills.?”

Babiza?’s mother is well and strong at the moment, and when the time comes, she will be put onto anti-retrovirals (ARVs). I asked Kruger how exactly the book will benefit Babiza and his family.

?”Babiza has a proper royalties contract and he has been paid a royalty which was agreed upon before the project began,?” Kruger explains. ?“The legal department of the University of KwaZulu-Natal ensured his rights in this contract. A number of copies of Babiza?’s Story were sold at cost during the launch. As originally agreed between HIVAN and UNESCO, free copies will be distributed to certain poorly-resourced institutions; this is scheduled for early 2005. The remainder of the print run will be sold and if there is sufficient demand, a further print run will be considered. Currently there is tremendous interest in, and response to, this personal story. The parallel English and IsiZulu texts are not solely the reason for this; Babiza has invested this story with personal commitment, bravery of spirit, charm and poignancy. It is a winning mix.?”

Kruger encountered problems more than once when she thought she had located a suitable young author. Often, the parent(s) did not want to be exposed as HIV-positive. She then solicited the help of her friend and colleague, Maud Mhlongo, Chief Social Worker at the Sinikithemba Care Centre, McCord Hospital. Mhlongo identified Babiza?’s mum as willing for her son to take part in the project but Kruger was on tenterhooks until she had met Babiza and realised that he would be a wonderful young narrator. When his story was in the editing phase, Babiza?’s mum was trained to be an HIV counselor and Babiza is very proud of her new role.

In another extract from his book, Babiza talks about the way HIV is a part of his life. The slang name that has been given to the disease shows the humour that the causes of the illness are sometimes given.

?”The first man I heard [talking] about HIV is Uncle Ntethelelo. He was visiting us at home. He sat in our lounge and held out his hand. He looked at his nails and said: ?“Z3, iqok?’s [high heels], is killing me! Look at my nails. They are so ugly!?” [Z3 means smart cars and iqok means smart girls]. Z3 iqok?’s is slang for HIV because some young men drive expensive motor cars so girls chase them, not knowing that some of these young men will have HIV.?”

I believe this book should be compulsory reading in all primary and high schools. It should give hope to other children whose family members have been affected by HIV that their parents can potentially live a better life if the illness is dealt with early on and if a positive, healthy lifestyle is adopted. It also brings the reality of the illness into the open. Hopefully it will allow children to talk about areas of their lives that are affected by HIV without fear of stigmatisation. If it does that one thing alone, Babiza?’s Story would have been certainly worth telling.

Babiza?’s Story by Siphelele Ndlovu is published by UNESCO, HIVAN and MiET Africa (Media in Education Trust), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.

This article, published by The Witness (15 December 2004), did not highlight collaboration between HIVAN (Centre for HIV and AIDS Networking) of the University of KwaZulu-Natal with McCord Hospital and UNESCO-MOST. The omission is regretted.

Enquiries about "Babiza's Story" can be made to HIVAN on Tel: 031 260 3334; Email: [email protected]