Caroline Otieno
From the moment I joined the Global Health Innovation Foundation in Kenya, I knew my life had found a new purpose. My heart ached for the HIV positive mothers who were struggling with their diagnosis and their children’s health. I wanted to help them stay healthy, cope with various challenges, and shed the negative attitude they often harbored due to their condition. One day, a woman came to us after her HIV diagnosis. She was devastated and felt as if her world was ending. I made it my mission to counsel her, to reassure her that this was not the end but a new beginning. As I watched her regain her strength and hope, I realized the true impact of my work. My experiences at GHI have not only changed the lives of the people I work with but have also transformed me. I’ve seen women return with new faces who need counseling, all because they found solace and strength in my words. I’ve witnessed discordant relationships bloom into supportive partnerships, reminding me of the resilience of the human spirit. As I look to the future, my hopes and goals are clear: I want to ensure that all mothers leave our facility with a sense of relief and happiness, knowing that their infants are negative. I strive to provide them with prophylaxis and advise them on precautions to protect their infants from contracting HIV. This is my purpose, my mission. I am committed to making a difference, one life at a time.