UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS

About me

Hello, my name is Elizabeth Mndzebele.  I'm a lively, energetic 61 year-old and I joined UNICEF's Global HIV Campaign in 2005.

I started my public health career in 1964 and worked my way up to be the Chief Nursing Officer of Swaziland. Over 40 years I helped build up the community-based primary healthcare system in some of Swaziland's most remote regions.  In my role as Chief Nursing Officer, and even before then, I traveled far and wide to exchange knowledge on rural health work. I visited countries such as China, India, America, and nations all around Africa. When I heard about UNICEF's Global HIV Campaign I knew I had to get involved.  I had already worked closely with UNICEF as a government nurse throughout my career and this was my chance to make an impact on an issue that is the greatest and most devastating challenge my country has ever known.

Swaziland has the world's most severe HIV and AIDS epidemic. HIV prevalence amongst pregnant women grew steadily from 3.9 percent in 1992 to reach 42.6 percent in 2004. Over 200,000 people are living with HIV out of a country population of 1.1 million, and over 4,000 of the annual infections occur in infants.

In Swaziland we have already achieved so many successes in public health - saving lives and wiping out deadly diseases. But HIV is setting us back decades. And I won't stop my work until this crisis comes to an end. 

I would like to really thank those who have helped us, it is so important for us to receive funds. But we still have a lot to do.
In my blog, I will write about some of my every day work out in the communities. I will tell you about the people I meet: those who desperately need help and those who are uniting to help them.