testimonies

Essanyu Lya'baana Warriors Camp 2022

During the MOS Camp held in Jinja between 14th -19th August 2022, one of the children aged 14 years from a health facility in Masaka district was identified to be failing on treatment. He lives with his grandmother and had refused to go back to school because of HIV related stigma he had experienced. He was however forced to go back and was in a lower class for his age. He even started having poor behavior and was talking back to his grandmother whenever she asked him to do anything. On arrival at the camp, he was very quiet and kept to himself for the first two days but later loosened up, made friends and shared experiences with other boys his age. He became happier with each passing day and more involved in camp activities. He testified during the camp fire that he had faced some stigma that made him want to drop out of school and pledged to focus on his future following inspiration from camp facilitators who had taken part of such a camp when they were young themselves. Almost a month after the camp his grandmother called thanking MOS for the camp and he shared that he is now doing well in his academics and seems happier and motivated to go on with school. She also reported that he is nicer to her and she was enjoying time with her grandson although she was planning on taking him back to his parents because she felt she was getting weaker because of advancement in age.