The Kingdom of Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland
Dreams Fulfilled

Why am I in Swaziland?

HIV is a global pandemic and claimed the lives of millions of people all over the world. One of my hopes is that there will be a cure for HIV during or after my lifetime. Not only do I believe in physical healing of HIV, but I also believe in spiritual healing by faith in God. God has called me to act on this issue and my work here in Swaziland is being done to bring Him glory. By the grace of God, I was accepted into the Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) program offered by the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Public Health. Due to my passion for HIV research and prevention, I was selected to conduct research on the barriers to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation among HIV-positive children 2 to 18 months of age in Swaziland. With the relatively high rate of HIV among pregnant women and the relatively low rate of children initiated on ART in comparison to adults in Swaziland, this a major public health concern within the country.

What am I doing?

Just to get an idea of what I will be blogging about, I will be implementing a research project on the barriers to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation among HIV-positive children 2-18 months of age in Swaziland. I will be carrying out the study at several different health facilities in Swaziland with my research partner and fellow MHIRT trainee, Chantal Harris, who also attends the University of Florida. Our main job is to carry out the study by following the research protocol with the assistance of data clerks, the primary investigators, public health stakeholders, and doctors associated with the project and ART initiation among children. The research project is also funded by UNICEF, which allowed us to hire data clerks to assist with data extraction, survey administration, and the facilitation of focus groups for the study.

Who do I work with?

My fellow MHIRT trainee, Chantal Harris, will be working on the research project with me all summer. She also will be living with me in Dr. Peter Preko's guest house in Mbabane, Swaziland. Dr. Preko is our host and mentor as well as one of the primary investigators of the research study. Dr. Pauline Jolly is also a primary investigator for this research project and also the director of the MHIRT program at UAB. Mrs. Nobuhle Mthethwa is another one of the primary investigators and is the National Paediatric ART Officer of the Swaziland National AIDS Program (SNAP) of the Ministry Of Health (MoH). We have four data clerks helping us to carry out the study, which are two Swazi women, Nelisiwe (Neli for short) and Nozipho, and two Swazi men, Ndumiso and Sibusiso. Two other fellow MHIRT trainees, Jessica and ShaCoria, are also here in Swaziland for 12 weeks, but they are implementing a different project (association between HIV status and cervical cancer among women) and live with a host family in Manzini, Swaziland. The UNICEF budget for the research budget also rendered us the opportunity to hire two drivers from Affordable Car Hire (Smangaliso and Sipho) to take us from clinic to clinic.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

And the Journey Begins...

South African Airways
Holiday Inn Express
I can't believe that within 14.5 hours, I will be in South Africa! I'm about to board the plane at JFK International Airport. I should be landing in Johannesburg, South Africa around 8:20am tomorrow, June 1st! Prayers are needed as I partake on this journey of a lifetime!

I am ready to leave the Holiday Inn Express right now and headed to the airport! I was  a little nervous because one of the MHIRT trainees (ShaCoria) was not able to board the plane because she didn't have a visa. However, Swaziland does not require a visa unless staying for over 30 days, which can be applied for while in the country. Nonetheless, she was able to board the plane the next day!

Meeting J. Cole
As if my trip to Africa wasn't exciting enough, on my way to my Gate at the airport, I run into J. Cole! I noticed him from downstairs as I was heading in his direction to head to the terminal. His back was facing me so I wasn't entirely sure if that was him, but I did recognize his physique and beard so I was almost sure that it was him. lol. So I noticed that him and his security guard (I suppose) walked into a bookstore and so I walked in there with the director of the MHIRT Program, Dr. Pauline Jolly and come to find out it was him! I asked his security guard if I can take a picture with him and waited until he was finished picking out a book! Then he asked me how I was doing!? I tried my best not to act too surprised but I was so happy and shocked! Meeting him today was bittersweet. He asked me about my trip and he seemed pretty impressed by what I was doing. I didn't get a chance to ask him what book he bought at the bookstore, and I wish I did. :(
Dr. Jolly and J. Cole


Dr. Jolly thought we met "Jay Z" and so even though she didn't know who he was, she still took a picture with him too! lol. The other MHIRT trainee, Jessica, didn't believe me when I told her that I saw J. Cole, so Dr. Jolly and I were walking towards the terminals alongside J. Cole, Jessica saw us heading towards her directions and I took a picture of them. She looked super shocked!



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Location: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Jamaica, NY 11430, USA
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