My next set of photos captures individuals going about their daily life. I would like to take a second to explain the word gogo (which appears on one of the signs). Gogo is grandmother, and is used as an honorific. We have many gogos who bring their grandchildren to clinic; they are all spoken to as "gogo, how is your child today?." We also call the women who sell us fruit at the side of the road gogos as in, "Do you need any fruit from the gogos today?"
I will close this set with a story from a gogo. I am seeing a sick child on oxygen. Gogo immediately comes over to tell me of the death of the mother, and the TB treatment, and the dropping CD4. She is likely experiencing treatment failure, meaning her ARVs are no longer working for her. In anycase, what made my heart sink even further was what the gogo said to me. "Docotella (Doctor in Siswati), I lost my daughter one week ago. I have also recently lost my son. Don't let me lose this child." My response, as always, is, "We're doing everything we can."
2 comments:
steph!
i hope you are doing okay. lovely photos of "everyday life". this particular gogo sounds like a tough lady, but it must be so hard for her to watch the younger generations die first.
take care of you. let's catch up soon.
julia
As a gogo myself, I can only applaud you for helping the gogos in Swaziland. This posting shows such empathy and compassion. Thank you for caring in all the ways you do. Now a little more about the music you hear, please. Your former piano teacher:).
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