In 2003, the U.S. government launched a large-scale initiative aimed at providing aid to children orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. The program, which was part of President George W. Bush’s HIV/AIDS initiative, helped reduce the number of AIDS-related deaths and improved access to life-saving medications. However, the decision by the Trump administration earlier this year to cut much of this foreign aid, including programs dedicated to AIDS orphans, has left many vulnerable children, like Diana, at risk of losing their only means of survival.
Pastor Billy’s Struggle to Find Help for Diana
Diana, a 9-year-old orphan in rural Zambia, was born with HIV. For years, she relied on a local clinic funded by U.S. aid for her HIV medication. But this clinic recently shut down after the cuts to foreign assistance were implemented. In February, Pastor Billiance Chondwe, who has been helping orphans for decades, urgently sought to find medication for Diana when her supply ran out. With the clinic closed and no other immediate sources of medicine, Pastor Billy went into overdrive, reaching out to contacts, and desperately working the phones, hoping to find someone who could provide help.
“I called the whole night, calling everyone and anytime,” Pastor Billy recalled, expressing the urgency of the situation.
His calls and messages were part of a frantic effort to find medication, which was critical for Diana’s health. The situation grew increasingly dire as Pastor Billy feared that without the medicine, Diana’s condition would worsen.
A Brief Moment of Hope
Amid his relentless search, Pastor Billy received help from Susan Hillis, an old acquaintance who had previously worked with the U.S. government’s HIV/AIDS initiatives. Hillis, who was in Thailand at the time, responded with deep concern upon hearing about the closure of Diana’s clinic. She had witnessed the dramatic improvements in life expectancy and health outcomes when foreign aid had been available.
Hillis shared Pastor Billy’s concerns, knowing the dire consequences of the aid cuts. “I was thinking, she’s going to die. She has no chance unless someone can get her medicine,” Hillis said, reflecting on the severity of the situation.
Despite the challenges, Pastor Billy found a short-term solution when a contact agreed to share their remaining HIV medication with Diana for five days. This temporary reprieve gave Diana a brief chance at survival, but Pastor Billy was still concerned about the potential risks of an incorrect dosage.
“God save Diana that she doesn’t develop symptoms because the dosage was too much or too little,” he said, emphasizing the uncertainty and fear he felt.
Pastor Billy’s Commitment to Diana
Pastor Billy and his wife have been raising orphans for years, opening their home to children who have lost their parents to AIDS. Diana was one of the many children who had found a temporary home with them. Even after the church moved the Chondwe family to a new town, Pastor Billy remained committed to Diana, making regular trips back to her village to check on her well-being.
“I lose sleep over Diana. She’s been through so much—losing her mother, then her grandmother to COVID,” Pastor Billy admitted, reflecting on the heavy emotional toll the situation had taken on him.
His devotion to Diana and other orphans like her stems from personal experience. Pastor Billy lost his twin sister, Charity, to AIDS when they were 17. He was the one who cared for her as her health deteriorated. His pain and sense of helplessness at the time ultimately led him to a deeper faith and a lifelong commitment to helping others facing the same plight.
The Impact of U.S. Aid Cuts on AIDS Orphans
The withdrawal of U.S. aid has created a dire situation for AIDS orphans in Zambia and across sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to the loss of HIV medications, many orphans like Diana no longer have access to food assistance that helped support their health. Diana’s foster mother, Jennifer Mukuka, explained that they sometimes struggle to have even one meal a day, and without enough food, Diana often feels sick after taking her HIV meds.
“They’re going to school without food. We are not OK,” Mukuka said, highlighting the critical shortages of both food and medicine.
Pastor Billy is acutely aware that without the assistance once provided by U.S. aid programs, Diana’s future is uncertain. The situation mirrors what many other families are facing in rural Zambia, where HIV medications and other critical services are in short supply.
A Glimmer of Hope Amid Uncertainty
Despite the many obstacles, Diana remains hopeful about her future. As she walked to school on a recent morning, she shared her dream of becoming a doctor one day. Her ambition to help others, even in the face of her own challenges, is a testament to her resilience.
However, the lack of stability in her life means that this dream is increasingly difficult to realize. With the U.S. aid cuts threatening the very resources that keep Diana alive, it remains to be seen how she, and many children like her, will fare in the coming years.
For Pastor Billy, the situation is both personal and global. His commitment to Diana and the many other orphans he has helped over the years drives him to continue seeking solutions. Yet, he is also faced with the harsh reality that the fight for these children’s survival is becoming increasingly difficult without the support of global aid.
As Pastor Billy drives away from Diana’s home, the weight of the situation presses heavily on his shoulders. His mission to help her is far from over, but it is a struggle that reflects the larger crisis facing AIDS orphans across Africa today.
Diana’s story is a reminder of the human cost of policy changes and the fragile futures of vulnerable children who depend on international support. While Pastor Billy continues his mission to help, the question remains: how much longer can these children survive without the aid that once gave them hope?
