We published an enterprising story today about a 9-year-old girl named Diana, who is an AIDS orphan and herself HIV positive, and the pastor who has become her protector -- a challenging role in the wake of U.S. aid cuts that have had a profound impact on her ability to get the food and medication she needs to survive.
Correspondent Gabrielle Emanuel, one of the co-authors of the story, shares her memories of her first encounter with Diana.
When I met Diana, she was sitting on an upside-down bucket, eating breakfast. She’s a 9-year-old in a frilly skirt in rural Zambia. I went to meet her because she’s struggling to get her HIV medication – drugs she needs to keep the virus at bay – and I wanted to understand that experience.
What I didn’t know until I arrived at her home was that the U.S. slashing foreign aid had done a lot more than shut down her U.S.-funded clinic — it had upended her whole life.
The U.S.’s flagship HIV/AIDS program is often thought of as a global health program. But 10% of the budget was set aside for AIDS orphans, like Diana. It provided things like school fees, food, clothing.
For Diana, that type of support stopped overnight. The State Department says much of the program is under “review.”
As the 9-year-old navigates this new landscape, she has a dedicated protector: Pastor Billance Chondwe.
India (and its kids) are out to conquer the world of chess
Chess has seen a worldwide resurgence since the pandemic-induced lockdown. Netflix's smash-hit chess drama The Queen's Gambit came out the year the pandemic started, and with more leisure time, people began playing on streaming platforms like chess.com and on YouTube. India has been among the biggest beneficiaries of the boom -- and is training its kids to become future grandmasters.
In "Return the Gods," British-Nigerian writer Chinenye Egbuna Ikwuemesi calls for the reintroduction of African deities to the children of the continent. Africaisacountry.com features her essay.
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