Hope for Life

A story of a little girl called Sophy with a brighter future

“When I discovered my granddaughter Sophy was HIV positive, I lost hope in her life”.

These words convey the sadness of Lucy Atieno, a 42 year old widow of seven children and three grandchildren, for her granddaughter, Sophy.

Lucy remembers a time when Sophy was weak, ailing and unable to participate in school. The effect of HIV/AIDS and malnutrition not only slowed Sophy’s physical growth but also her mental capacity. In the village of Karabondi in Kenya, where Lucy and her family live, poverty is rampant.

The very nature of poverty is debilitating and more so for orphaned children with special health needs like Sophy. Sophy lost both her parents at a very young age. She tries to be strong for her grandmother, but children like Sophy need to have access to medical care and nutritious food to be healthy or unfortunately, their future can be uncertain.

Ever since Lucy enrolled her granddaughter in ChildFund’s Pamoja Child Support Feeding Program, she’s been amazed at the transformation of Sophy. “I could not believe the change in her.”

The Pamoja Child Support Feeding Program is part of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre in Karabondi. A safe and protective environment, children like Sophy are provided with access to nutrition, education and playtime.

When Sophy was first enrolled in this program, she weighed only 14 kilos (31 pounds). With better nutrition, deworming, and vitamin A supplements, within the first four months Sophy’s weight shot up by 3 kilos (7 pounds). Sophy became more active at home and in school.

Today, Sophy looks like any girl her age. In Lucy’s words, “I can afford to smile when I glance at her... she is healthier, active and I am relieved.”

ChildFund has made a huge difference in Sophy’s life. Today, Sophy can look forward to a brighter future.