Keep a Child Alive

Day 7 - Nkosi Johnson: A Hero’s Dream Lives On

Keep a Child Alive is constantly inspired by the stories of resilience and strength that we hear from the children and families at our sites. One of the many children we have been moved by is a South African boy named Nkosi Johnson, who was not cared for by our work, but was a true AIDS activist and hero for the AIDS movement.

Born HIV positive in 1989, Nkosi Johnson (born, Xolani Nkosi) was adopted by Gail Johnson, a Johannesburg Public Relations practitioner, who took him into her care when his mother Daphne was no longer able to care for him.

He became internationally known when he was refused acceptance by a primary school due to his HIV status.  His case led the Minister of Education to pass the Policy on Admission, preventing schools from denying education to HIV infected children.  That same year, Nkosi’s birth mother, Daphne, lost her fight with AIDS.  An enormous loss to Nkosi, her death lead the young boy to ask the question, “”Does everyone who has AIDS die?”“.  He asked Gail Johnson to start a home to look after mothers and children who were infected like himself.

On April 14th 1999, the first Nkosi’s Haven for HIV positive mothers and their children opened its doors.

In July of 2000, Nkosi Johnson was the keynote speaker at the 13th International AIDS conference where he encouraged people with HIV/AIDS to be open about the disease and to seek equal treatment. Nkosi finished his speech with the words:
“Care for us and accept us.  We are normal people. We are human beings. We have hands. We have feet.  We can walk. We can talk and we have needs just like everyone else.  Don’t be afraid of us. WE ARE ALL THE SAME.”

On December 29, 2000, Nkosi went into a coma after having a seizure from which he never recovered.  His courage and determination made him one of the most influencial faces of the AIDS movement.  Nelson Mandela referred to him as an “icon of the struggle for life.”

Keep a Child Alive is proud to fund Nkosi’s Haven to continue Nkosi Johnson’s dream. His story is another reason why we do what we do at Keep a Child Alive. Text BUYLIFE to 90999 to give $10 to help us continue these daily inspirational stories of hope, love and strength.

See all of our Daily Inspirations.