Sixteen-year-Old Orphan Takes on the Odds

Muziona – now there’s a young man with a future. You’d think so to see him. Head shaved, a safety pin through one earlobe, a heart ring on one middle finger. He had presence, confidence, and charisma. His mother had died a year ago, after a long illness (probably HIV AIDS), and Muziona left school immediately, to look after his sister, Zione, age 13.

He had gone as far as he could with free education (Form 4), and he would have liked to continue, but couldn’t afford the fees, as well as look after Zione. Muziona is bright; his English is excellent and fluent, and he speaks with confidence. He would like to be a mechanic. Zione is in Standard 7 and wants to be a nurse. If she continues at school, and she wants to, she could start nursing training after she finishes Form 4. Thanks to her New Zealand sponsor, she will be able to continue at school, and the family will get extra help as well, as they’re on their own.

Muziona spends his day working at anything he can for 50 kwacha a day (about NZ$1.20) to buy enough food to cook up for Zione and himself. Sometimes they have two meals a day and sometimes only one, depending on food supply. Usually it’s sima, a wallpaper paste-like dough, and ‘relish’, some kind of vegetable sauce such as pumpkin leaves, or tomato and onions mixed up.

In residence in their house is a plump white rabbit, which they said was a “New Zealand White”, and he says with a grin, that he’s saving it for a special occasion – to eat, of course.

This extremely bright, personable young man is in the danger demographic for HIV/AIDS virus, and he knows this. “With this killer disease that is affecting our country, I try and keep myself safe.” He was a brave young man…the whole village was gathered around, listening, and many giggled at his words. But he was serious. He knew it was a serious issue.

He knew, too, that Zione was vulnerable. “She is too young to date, to go out with boys. I’m doing my best to help her and look after her.”

We asked him if he and his sister squabbled. He laughed and said, “No we don’t fight; we look after each other.”

AIDS orphans like Muziona and Zione are becoming more and more common in Malawi and other sub-Saharan African countries. UNAIDS estimates there are 14 million AIDS orphans worldwide, ninety percent of them in Africa. In Malawi alone, there are 65000.

As well as the shock of loosing their parents, AIDS orphans often face a daily struggle for survival, without the benefit of a social welfare "safety net".

Not all are as fortunate as Zione, with a caring and able older brother to fund her through school. Many miss out on education and so risk growing up as part of an under-class with a bleak future.

Muziona and Zione are two teenagers on their own, battling hunger, loneliness and an uncertain future. With only their own intelligence, the optimism of youth and World Vision on their side. But somehow, you believe they will make it.