ARTISANS | Melissa Njeng | Judy Cherotich | Laura Sangara | Marion Mbungo
Melissa Njenga*
Melissa Njenga is fighting to keep her family together. The mother of five children and an orphan herself, Melissa lives without any support. Weakened by HIV and scorned by the few neighbors and friends she had, Melissa almost lost her struggle; now after gaining strength and hope at IMANI she is determined to continue. By grit and will, she is holding it together.
Melissa is 34 years old. When she was 10 her parents were killed in a road accident and she was sent to live with a cousin in Langas, outside of Eldoret. Her schooling terminated at age 12 when her cousin could no longer afford the fees. The cousin was struggling to care for her own family, so she encouraged Melissa to accept the marriage proposal of a 28-year-old neighbor. The man had been married before, and was raising 2 children on his own. With no options, Melissa agreed to marry, and at age 16 assumed responsibility for 2 young children. She gave birth to her own child the following year.
Melissa’s married life was very hard. Her husband proved himself to be quite a womanizer, a frequent drunk, and physically abusive to Melissa. She was always afraid of her husband. Melissa gave birth to 2 more children.
After their 3rd child was born however, Melissa’s husband started to get sick and Melissa began caring for him. Around the same time, Melissa herself started to feel sick. Melissa’s husband went and paid for an HIV test for himself, but refused to tell Melissa the result. She assumed it was positive after he soon started selling various things in their home to neighbors, presumably trying to spend their assets before he died. Melissa took up casual jobs on her neighbor’s shambas (farms) just to get food for the daily meal. She was able to sell some vegetables in the morning, and weed and plant on nearby farms in the afternoon.
In 2001, on his deathbed, her husband finally revealed that they were both HIV positive. Melissa knew then that she could not return to her cousin’s house. Melissa became demoralized and grew sicker and sicker. Her neighbors saw how skinny the family was getting and stopped coming to visit. The only people who cared for her and her husband during this time were her children, she felt guilty knowing that she was supposed to be taking care of them.
In 2002 her husband died. His family refused to assist Melissa or her children. One day she heard about ARV’s from a woman in the market, and decided to go to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital to see if she could get come drugs. At the hospital she learned that the drugs were not free, and having no money she left without seeking treatment. She soon lost her house, as she had no money for rent. In 2003, Melissa learned from a neighbor about a program called AMPATH that provided free ARV’s. She was started on a treatment program immediately. Before beginning treatment she was very weak, and her body was covered in so many sores that she was unable to sell any vegetables, people were always scared away. Her condition improved rapidly, she grew stronger, and her skin cleared up.
Melissa was eventually referred to Imani Workshops, but she remains fearful of what will happen if she ever has to leave this job. In the past she has refused to give up her children to the children’s home, but now she is starting to consider giving up all of them except for her 10 year old, because she doesn’t know if she can support them anymore. She hopes that, if she has to leave Imani because there is not enough work here, she can restart selling vegetables But she has no friends anymore and figures that no man will marry her and take responsibility for the 5 children. She is glad that she doesn’t have to beg anyone for help anymore, and that she can simply support her family, but she does not feel that all of her problems are solved yet.