Keep a Child Alive

Remembering Nkosi Johnson

June 1, 2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Nkosi Johnson, a young activist and hero in the AIDS movement.

Born HIV positive, Nkosi first made international headlines when he was 8 years old and his foster mother, Gail Johnson, tried to enroll him at a local school.  With no policies in place around the admission of HIV+ children into schools at that time, a battle ensued that brought attention to the huge gaps in services and protections for children living with HIV.  Because of Nkosi, a government policy was enacted two years later, giving all HIV-infected children the right to education in South Africa.

Invited to speak at schools about his status and the policy, Nkosi took a very active role in fighting for acceptance and non-discrimination with his unbending stance on ARV medication for HIV+ pregnant women.  He never wanted another child to end up infected and could not understand why, when there was treatment available, there was a delay in getting the medicine to the people in dire need.  The question of expense was way beyond his comprehension.

In 1997, Nkosi’s birth mother died of AIDS.  Devastated by the fact that his “mommy never said goodbye,” Nkosi asked the question, “Does everyone who has AIDS die?”  Nkosi wanted to prevent other children from suffering the pain he had endured. He wanted to create a place where mothers with HIV/AIDS and their children could live and be cared for without discrimination or prejudice.  In April 1999, the first Nkosi’s Haven opened its doors.

Two years later, Nkosi died.  He never had the chance to see the 95 children at Nkosi’s Haven go to school, or the 35 mothers with HIV all living with their children at Nkosi’s Haven today.

Nkosi Johnson will always be remembered as the boy who gave a face to AIDS in Africa, and who stole our hearts when he spoke at the 13th International AIDS Conference in July 2000.  With all eyes on him, he challenged the then government to roll out ARVs to pregnant women to prevent the virus being passed onto their unborn children, and he asked for acceptance of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Keep a Child Alive is honored to support the women and children of Nkosi’s Haven today, Founder and mother Gail Johnson, and the indomitable spirit of Nkosi Johnson, whose dream lives on through the lives they save.  Help KCA continue to support Nkosi’s Haven work.  Click below to donate now and choose Nkosi’s Haven.