Three years of treating people living with HIV have taught Dr Monia Nivonkuru a valuable lesson: to care for a patient means more than simply giving medication. She leads the Life Clinic, which has been an oasis of hope for people affected by HIV and AIDS. Beyond debilitating sickness, their condition brings stigma and rejection.
Burundi has made significant progress in the fight against HIV, but challenges remain. As global funding shifts and national programmes scale down, many patients still struggle to meet their daily needs, such as access to nutritious food that supports their treatment.
Life Clinic offers an antiretroviral treatment programme which has been extremely successful, but what makes the Life Clinic special is how they care for the whole patient through pastoral support and community.
Regular patient groups are established to offer a space to encourage one another and enable friendships to develop. “People can walk the journey together, ” Dr Monia says. Beyond emotional support, they offer food education, skills training, and micro-loans to start businesses.
“Access to medication alone is not enough. There is much more needed,
especially good nutrition.”
Janette had already lost her husband to AIDS when she also became severely ill. She lost a significant amount of weight and was close to death. With no one else to care for her, her 15-year-old daughter helped nurse her back to life. But Janette was so depressed that she considered giving up on life by stopping her medication. She decided to attend a support group, but when she first arrived she was sceptical. “At first, I didn’t believe them, ” she says. “They looked healthy and strong, nothing like me.”
But as they welcomed, supported, and journeyed with her, Janette gradually found the strength to continue. Today, Janette owns a small farm and has built a home for her children. She has become a leader in the community
Stories like Janette’s are replicating across the city. Through the consistent care of over 50 support groups, people are rebuilding their lives and thriving in ways they never could have imagined.
For Dr Monia, this work is a calling, an opportunitv to obev God and care for those who are suffering.