Meet Sarah - from single motherhood with HIV to a stable life

Today is Giving Tuesday - a great opportunity to kick off our Annual Appeal and introduce you to Sarah.

At sixteen, Sarah’s life had already taken an unexpected turn. A high school student with big dreams of becoming a nurse, she found herself pregnant - an event that shook her world and changed the course of her future. The father of her child denied the pregnancy, leaving Sarah to face the challenges of motherhood alone. What made matters worse was the diagnosis that would haunt her: she had contracted HIV.

The weight of these circumstances felt unbearable.

She had dropped out of school, isolated herself from friends, and struggled to see a way forward. With no support from the father of her child, Sarah’s future seemed dark. The thought of not being able to provide for her baby, coupled with the stigma of HIV, pushed her to the brink. She often found herself battling feelings of worthlessness, and on several nights, the thought of ending it all crept into her mind.

But fate had something else in store for Sarah.

One afternoon, as she sat at home with her baby in her arms, she felt an urge to visit the health center for her first postnatal checkup. It wasn’t just the need for medical care; something within her told her to go—perhaps to seek the strength she so desperately needed.

At Lwanda HCIII, she met Sr. Titus, a warm, compassionate nurse who immediately saw the fear and uncertainty in Sarah’s eyes. After her examination, Sr. Titus gently counseled her and told her about BAMA’s Mama Ambassador Program—an initiative aimed at supporting adolescent mothers like Sarah, especially those facing difficult situations like HIV, unplanned pregnancies, sexual gender-based violence, and the many challenges of being a young parent.

“At first, I was skeptical unsure of how such a program could change anything, but I agreed to attend one of the group sessions. The thought of sitting in a room full of strangers discussing my struggles made me nervous. But something in my heart told me to take a leap of faith”, Sarah says.

The session was nothing like Sarah had imagined. The group wasn’t just a lecture; it was a space where young women shared their stories, offered support, and learned from one another. And then Sarah met the BAMA’s SBGV counselor, Alan Wekoye, who was both patient and understanding, listening without judgment. In that moment, Sarah realized she wasn’t alone. She wasn’t the first, and certainly wouldn’t be the last, to face such challenges. Allan helped Sarah see her own worth, offering emotional support and practical advice on how to manage her life with HIV, care for her child, and even find ways to support herself financially.

For the first time in months, Sarah begun to feel a sense of hope and a flicker of light at the end of a long tunnel. She learned about safe health practices, her rights, and the importance of self-care. Most importantly, she found confidence in herself, a belief that she could overcome her circumstances.

The support she received from the Mama Ambassador support group didn’t just end with counseling. Through the sessions, Sarah was introduced to various opportunities for young mothers like her, such as saving money to start up small businesses. Sarah soon found a job as a waitress at a local restaurant in Kyotera, a small but busy town. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for her to begin taking care of herself and her baby. She learned how to manage her finances, set aside money for the future, and even began making friends with other women.

In her quiet moments, Sarah would reflect on how far she has come. From a scared, pregnant teenager with no hope to a young woman with a steady income, emotional support, and a renewed sense of purpose, she had transformed. Her dream of one day owning her own restaurant began to feel like a real possibility. It was no longer a distant fantasy; it was a goal she could work toward.

Sarah’s days are still challenging. Being a single mother, living with HIV, and working long hours at the restaurant wasn’t easy. But she had learned to take things one step at a time, with faith in herself and the support from the BAMA community. She began saving money for her future, working on building relationships with her customers, and dreaming of the day she would open her own restaurant a place where she could serve delicious food and create opportunities for other women like her.

As she tucked her baby into bed each night, Sarah couldn’t help but smile. She had faced darkness and almost lost herself along the way, but now she was a mother who was slowly building her future. Thanks to the courage to take that first step toward the Mama Ambassador Program and the support she found there, Sarah was no longer defined by her past. She was defined by the strength and resilience she had discovered within herself.

Let’s help more women like Sarah! Our Annual Appeal is here and you can support us.