Pumla
Pumla is a 26-year-old mother of three.
She did not receive any sex education from her parents or her high school, and fell pregnant in her last year.
Despite having amazing grades, great potential and encouragement from her teacher, she was ashamed and did not complete her exams. She left home and moved to the city as to not burden her already poor parents. Pumla moved into a shack shared by 5 people, measuring 10 square feet. She tried desperately to make a living by wheel-barrowing cement for 12 hours a day…earning wages equivalent to $9 a day!
Pumla gave birth to a baby boy
and named him Yolisa; he is now 4 years old and loves
school. She then gave birth to Olweto, who is just 1 year,
and after giving birth the doctors notified Pumla that she
was HIV+. Pumla’s boyfriend admitted that he had been
unfaithful, and Pumla is now trying to build the courage to
test her baby girl for HIV.
Pumla’s dream is to be a social
worker, as she can speak English, Afrikaans and Xhosa, and
could reach multiple people groups with the message of
HIV/AIDS.
We have no doubt in our mind that she can succeed…all she
required was the opportunity to do so. With your help, Leur
Présence has enrolled Pumla in a course to complete her
last senior year of high school via distance education.
Upon graduating, we hope to register Pumla in university to
complete her degree, and live out her dream.
How can you help?