Upile Kassim spent two years at the Jacaranda School for orphans. She was a bright and beautiful child.
She lost both her parents to AIDS. She was born with HIV/AIDS.

Upile lived with her grandmother who lost all her children to AIDS and now takes care of several grandchildren.
This is a common situation in Malawi, where children are left in the care of their grandparents. Sick children are left unattended and neglected, most times not intentionally, but because the guardian is an old grandparent, unable to fend for the child financially and at times physically.

Last year Upile contracted Tuberculosis. This was treated but she did not follow up or finish her medications, which was not good for her health.
While I was in Malawi in January this year, Upile fell ill again. I took her to hospital and not surprisingly, she was admitted in intensive care right away. Upile had pneumonia, and chronic lung disease.
She began treatment.

Before I left Malawi on 1st of February, Upile was said to have been well enough to go home. The picture to the right was taken the day before I left.

Three weeks ago Upile was back in hospital. First three days, she had to share her bed with another sick child, as the Pediatrics ward was full. Two children to a bed. Eventually Upile had her own bed. I was told her condition was not good or promising.

I called to speak to her in the hospital, and told her how much I loved her and that I was coming back there in June and she should let me know what she wanted me to bring for her from New York.

From then on, I asked her teacher to take it in turns in bringing three to five of her friends from school to visit her in hospital every other day. We asked the hospital if the teacher could bring in school supplies so she can continue her lessons in hospital. That was a success and Upile was very happy. Upile requested her best friend, 5 year old Felista, to come every time. Which she did. Upile passed away April 2nd.

Now, her battle has been lost. I cry, because I feel helpless and lost.
I started this school eight years ago so that I could give the orphaned children a better future.
How can I also save their lives?
What should I be doing to keep them alive so they can attend school and have that bright future?

I will make those changes, where I will get medical care at the school, and not just rely on their guardians to care for their health.
There are five other children at the school who are HIV positive. They need special care and to be monitored.
Their health comes first. Yes, how can a sick child attend school and succeed?

In honor of Upile who was one of such a child, we at Jacaranda are going to open a trust in her name where your donations will be used to help the other children in our school living with HIV/AIDS. This money will go towards employing a nurse at the school to keep track of the children's conditions and well being. The nurse will visit the guardians homes to make sure the children are having special health care and food at home, and are taking their medication as prescribed by the doctors.

The funds will also be allocated to provide an extra meal for the sick children as a healthy diet is extremely importnat.
Funds will be used to help transport the children back and forth to the hospital for check ups and to receive their medications.

These donations will help me considerably, since as of now, I am using the money that is raised for the education of our 400 orphaned students to care for the sick children also.

Please pass this message on to your friends and family.

Thanking you in advance,

Marie Da Silva

marie@jacarandafoundation.org