[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 137 (Tuesday, October 25, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ASSISTANCE FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 
                              ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 18, 2005

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation 
is a lead organization in providing pediatric care and treatment to 
children with HIV. In mid-September, the Foundation held a briefing on 
this important issue, and brought to the halls of Congress a brave HIV-
positive 12-year-old girl from Uganda named Josephine Nabukenya, who 
presented testimony and a poem on HIV that was extremely moving and 
brought the audience to a stand-still.
  This young girl has lost siblings to HIV and almost lost her mother 
as well. Thanks to appropriate care and lifesaving medications, she and 
her family are healthy and remain together. Josephine not only 
represents a story of hope that comes with the availability of care and 
treatment, but as the president of a group called the Young Positive 
Generation, she is spreading hope and knowledge to her peers and their 
families. I would like to insert into the Record her testimony.

    Josephine Nabukenya, Kampala, Uganda Congressional Briefing on 
            Pediatric Treatment, Monday, September 12, 2005

       My name is Josephine Nabukenya, I am 12 years old and I go 
     to school at Kasubi Church of Uganda. I was born HIV positive 
     and got the disease from my mother, who also suffers from 
     HIV/AIDS. Luckily, my HIV does not limit what I do very much, 
     and I still go to school. I am not on any medicines right 
     now, but I do go for regular examinations where my HIV is 
     monitored.
       I found out that I was HIV positive when my mother was 
     getting sick regularly. My mother told me to go and arrange 
     her bedroom, and when I did I saw her diary under the 
     pillowcase. I read it and it said that she was HIV positive, 
     along with my father, me and my little sister. I kept quiet 
     and she also kept quiet, but later she disclosed this to me 
     and I told her that I had known when I read her diary. She 
     disclosed to my teacher and headmaster and I felt bad when I 
     decided to write my poem. My mother is now on medicines that 
     help her HIV and she is better able to take care of us 
     children.
       I am part of a child support group called, the Young 
     Positive Generation, and I am the Chairperson. The Young 
     Positive Generation group brings children with HIV/AIDS 
     together. We talk about HIV/AIDS, we sing, dance, play and we 
     give testimonies. This has helped me to be firm and not to be 
     shy in public because I knew that I am not the only one in 
     the school with HIV. Now I am strong, I can play and I can do 
     whatever thing comes.

     HIV HIV HIV
     HIV is a dangerous virus

     HIV causes AIDS
     AIDS is a bad disease
     Oh what a disease it is

     Many children lost their parents because of AIDS
     Many parents lost their children because of AIDS
     Our beloved ones are dead because of AIDS
     Oh what a cumbersome disease it is

       Ugandans, what should we do to fight AIDS? We should fight 
     AIDS in the following ways:
       1. By use of condoms
       2. Children should abstain from sex before marriage
       3. Blood must be tested for HIV
       4. Blood must be tested before being given to sick people 
     who lack blood
       5. Pregnant mothers should be given drugs in order to 
     prevent mother to child transmission of HIV
       Our government, president, government of USA, President 
     Bush, doctors, nurses, teachers, parents and guardians, help 
     us we are dying.
       We should KICK
       We should KICK
       We should KICK AIDS OUT OF THE WORLD

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