World Ark Magazine - November/December 2007 - (Page 22)

Mutwarasibo, which in Kinyarwanda translates as “leader among others.” Mutwarasibo provides enough milk to nourish Uwanyiligira’s biological son—who, in the safety of his mother’s womb, survived the crossing of Lake Muhazi 13 years ago—and a 13-year-old orphan whom she also raises. She has enough milk left over after meeting her family’s needs to sell at the market, which helps provide income for other necessities. These positive steps forward give Uwanyiligira hope for a better future. “I am thankful to Heifer and to the donors of this project. Now I am lucky to be able to have a cow again and a small income. It is a slow but sure process,” she says. TCHADIA AND ESPERANCE: TWO WOMEN LIVING HIV-POSITIVE T chadia Mukarubibi, 40, gently strokes the head of her beige Jersey heifer while a wide-eyed baby calf in the adjacent pen tugs at a small wad of elephant grass clutched in the hand of Mukarubibi’s 12-year-old son, Hamad Ndayishimye. Her family is a beneficiary of the recent Muhazi Project that came to Nsinda village in December 2006. Mukarubibi is HIV-positive, a widow and a mother of four children. Hamad has also recently tested positive for the disease. Living with HIV causes many challenges for Mukarubibi and her son. “Today, I am over 13 years living positive, and with each passing year, things keep changing. They change for the worse. I get weaker and weaker,” she explains. She and Hamad have both been on antiretroviral (ARV) medication for the last two years. While his symptoms are not yet pronounced, hers include bouts of general body weakness and diarrhea, which often come after stress or exertion. And depending on the strength of her immune system, relapses of malaria cause debilitating fever and weakness. Mukarubibi was eager to receive her Tchadia Mukarubibi, a widow and mother of four, is HIV-positive. As a cow from Heifer. She learned how to member of a new Heifer project in Nsinda Village, she looks forward to care for her cow by attending training the growing beneﬁts from her cow. and visiting other Heifer Rwanda project sites. “In the beginning, during this training, it was all like a dream. It did appear to come through at some stage, so I began to get excited and prepared to receive my heifer,” she explains. With her cow, Mukarubibi is better able to cope with her difficult life. As is customwww.heifer.org 22 November/December 2007 | WORLD ARK http://www.heifer.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of World Ark Magazine - November/December 2007

World Ark - November/December 2007 Contents Letters For the Record The Good Life Asked & Answered Pursuing Happiness (PRODUCT) RED: Consumer Power Fights AIDS in Africa Rwanda Reconciles End Hunger Now Protecting the Poor from Climate Change Mixed Media Heifer Bulletin Heifer Spirit Heifer Calendar Reflection

World Ark Magazine - November/December 2007

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