Posted on October 1, 2007
A group of ten JMU students and their professor traveled to the Western Cape of South Africa in May as part of HTH 490, a class that focuses on the preventative measures being taken to address the significant HIV/AIDS epidemic currently plaguing the South African population.
Led by health sciences professor Debra Sutton, the group visited various hospitals, orphanages and townships where they observed the health of children living in areas surrounding Cape Town and participated in educational and social prevention strategies.
Sutton previously taught two programs in Trinidad and Tobago and chose South Africa after a colleague at Duquesne University encouraged her to make the trip.
“I emphasize to my students that you just never know where your life can lead when you are able to go directly to these countries and meet the people directly,” she said. “All study abroad changes students’ lives, but mine have changed lives in ways I didn’t even expect.”
Approximately 6.29 million people are infected with HIV or AIDS in the South Africa province. Students on the trip were able to observe first-hand the impact the current epidemic is having on its youth.
Junior Whitney Gee said it was an eye-opening experience.
“I really had no idea [of] the magnitude of the situation until I went over there,” she said. “We went to an orphanage and 43 out of the 45 children we interacted with were HIV positive. I had no idea. We don’t have that here.”
During their first week, the group visited Groote Shuur Hospital, which works with Kidzpositive, a charity established by its director of Pediatric Medicine, Dr. Paul Roux. The organization raises money to support the health care needs of children who are HIV positive.
Roux treats the children with antiretroviral drugs. Sutton said that the children look healthy because they are getting treatment.
“It’s the real hope in a hopeless situation,” Sutton said. “We saw great hope through Dr. Roux.”
Students not only saw hope in officials but in the victims themselves. Senior Ashley Oliver said the mothers of the children make beaded jewelry to raise money to support the medical expenses.
“At the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre we listened about their system of mass message cell phone alerts, which reminds everyone to take their medication at the same time so they don’t forget,” she said.
The program participants hope to bring attention to the issue back home.
“Testing and prevention is everywhere in South Africa,” Oliver said. “Here it is not as common. People are scared about knowing whether they are infected.”
The group met Thembi Ngubane, an AIDS-infected 21-year-old woman from the township of Khayelitsha, who talked to them about her experiences with the disease.
“Thembi is an absolutely amazing woman,” junior Julie Fry said. “When it’s someone your age, it really hits home.
Fry said college students tend to feel invincible and meeting Thembi made her realize that she’s not.
“It really puts everything you have to deal with in perspective,” she said.
Sutton is planning another trip for May, this time to the Western Cape, and a third trip to the Eastern Cape in June. This trip will mirror a Peace Corps experience, allowing students to volunteer in community projects and participate in the delivery of health care services.
“Students will break into smaller groups and go with nurses and one doctor to different villages around Hamburg, and do whatever needs to be done that day,” Sutton said. “They can be prepared to deliver a baby one day and vaccinate children the next, all under professional observation of course. That will truly be an adventure.”
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