Four years ago, Olipah’s mother died of AIDS. At first she lived with her grandma, but now she lives with her aunt. Regularly her aunt would give Olipah medicine for headache, even though, sometimes Olipah would tell her aunt she did not have a headache today.
Olipah is in 7th grade at Kuunika Lutheran School. She came to Kuunika about a year ago.
It wasn’t until she attended an after-school program for protecting and educating girls about sexual abuse that she learned that her “headache” medicine was for HIV positive patients.
Today at age 15, she lives with the knowledge that she is HIV positive, and that if she were to have children they would probably become HIV positive as well.
Despite her health, she dreams to be a lawyer to support justice. Her relative was falsely accused of a crime and sent to jail. At school, she enjoys history and math. Also her favorite Bible story is Joseph being sold by his brothers. Olipah explained, “When I have challenges and feel that God has neglected me, it is all part of God’s plan. The challenges are to help me reach my destiny.”