All photos courtesy of Nick Edwards
Here on SuperForest we talk about positivity — how to stay positive and inspire others to do the same, in order to make the world a better place. As idealistic as that may sound to some, change through positive works isn’t just possible, it’s happening all around us. For example, a friend of mine (also named Heather) is currently doing her part through a 6-month fellowship with an organization called mothers2mothers in Cape Town, South Africa.
mothers2mothers is an organization that assists HIV positive, pregnant women by educating, supporting, motivating and empowering them. All of this good work creates a sustainable cycle, as the mothers then become mentors to other pregnant women who are also suffering from AIDS. You can read more about the amazing work they are doing here. The following video will also give you a sense of what kind of an impact this program really has:
Many areas of the world including parts of Africa still suffer from a general lack of education about HIV and AIDS. This results in many urban myths about how you can contract the virus and also what cures it — for example, many men believe that having sex with a virgin will cure them of the disease. This is not only entirely untrue, but it creates many HIV positive, pregnant women who need help. mothers2mothers has recognized this need, and they are doing whatever possible to help eradicate these myths and to educate and empower these women.
I had a chance to ask Heather some questions about her work with mothers2mothers and how she remains positive:
the intrepid, passionate traveler herself, above Cape Town on Lion’s Head
Superforest: What inspires you the most about the HIV positive mothers you have encountered thus far in your fellowship?
Heather: That they are focused on living, not dying, as people tend to assume about African people living with HIV.
Superforest: How do they stay positive?
Heather: How can they not be positive? There is such a lack of awareness in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa about HIV – what causes it, how to cure it, what people with HIV look like – that more often than not when a person discovers they have HIV, they think they will be shunned by their family and friends, and die alone. In the case of the women who end up in the mothers2mothers program, their outlook is worse because they are pregnant, so they immediately think that their baby is doomed as well. However, once brought in to our program by the Mentor Mothers we employ to work in clinical sites, they quickly learn that HIV+ people can survive, and be relatively healthy to raise their children. They see other women who have successfully given birth to HIV- babies, who are laughing and singing and are part of a sisterhood of support. They see hope, and that they are not alone. That is incredibly powerful stuff. Transformative, really.
Superforest: Do you find it difficult to stay positive in your daily operations with mothers2mothers? What helps you keep your mind open and inspired to continue helping them?
Heather: Not at all! In Head Office I work with a fantastic group of international people who have chosen to work in the non-profit sector largely because they are passionate about helping others. They are smart, funny, and selfless….it’s contagious! I find myself excited about going to work on Monday mornings. Also, we have a number of women working in Head Office who came through the counseling program, starting way back from when they were pregnant and discovered they were HIV+. They have worked their way up from being employed as Mentor Mothers, to being Site Coordinators, to higher positions in our office. They are awesome to have around – so positive – and laughingly refer to themselves as “fat” as it is considered a sign of health! They are the ones most often found cracking jokes or singing to themselves as they walk through the office. It’s a pretty lovely environment to be in.
Superforest: Tell me about a memorable road trip or weekend trip you have taken since you’ve been in South Africa? Or, do you have any upcoming trips planned?
Heather: I’ve been trying to take advantage of every weekend as I am only here for 6 months, so I’ve taken a road trip every weekend. One of the most fun was on my birthday weekend when I went with some friends from work to a huge outdoor music concert called Rocking the Daisies which was located on a wine farm about an hour outside of Cape Town. We camped overnight and danced under the most beautiful star-filled South African sky. Brilliant!
Superforest: How has your time there thus far changed the way you think about yourself, others, the world at large?
Heather: At the risk of sounding cheesy, I realize now how important it is for me to live a life of service. I am so fired up about every part of life when I know my work helps others…it has a powerful spillover effect. It has changed the way I think about others in that I see that it’s not just women who care about helping other women – I’ve been exposed to so many great men in our organization (and outside of it as well) who are just the loveliest people and share my belief in the power of women to change society. It hasn’t changed my view of the world per se, but it has reminded me of how disconnected people in developed countries (the minority) tend to be from people in developing countries (the majority!) which is a bit of a bummer.
Superforest: What is something we can do to help mothers2mothers?
Heather: Become a fan of our Page on Facebook or join our Cause page and help fundraise! You can donate your birthday to mothers2mothers and have your friends give whatever they would otherwise have spent on a present to mothers2mothers instead. Donations always help, but just getting the word out to friends is hugely helpful as well. We want people to know that there is a lot of really effective work being done to combat pediatric HIV and keep mothers alive to stem the massive problem of AIDS orphans. My boss Linda recently said, “the more you give, the more you want to give.” Without question — that’s exactly how this experience makes me feel.
So there you have it, SuperForesters, Heather is just one ray of sunshine spreading her glow around. I am sure if you asked her, she would say the real heroes are the mothers themselves, but I think Heather’s doing a fabulous job of making the world a better place in her own right.
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