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South Africa's AIDS Champion, Nkosi Johnson, Passes away
Johannesburg, South Africa. Friday, June 1, 2001
Amidst the controversy of what transpired yesterday, a devastated Gail Johnson has announced the death of her foster son Nkosi Johnson, South Africa's longest surviving child born HIV positive. Nkosi passed away peacefully at his home in Melville, Johannesburg this morning at 05:40. His death follows a further two seizures, which he suffered on the evenings of Saturday, May 19 and Tuesday, May 22, 2001. Born HIV positive on February 4, 1989 to Nonthlanthla Nkosi, Nkosi was raised by foster mother Gail Johnson. Together, Nkosi and Gail have fought long and hard to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, where the rate of HIV infection has reached pandemic proportions. Nkosi first came under the media spotlight when, despite heavy opposition from other parents, he won his fight (as an HIV positive child) to attend a primary school in Melville. This protest, which started in 1997, led to a reform two years later of the national education policy, by the then education minister Prof. Sibusiso Bengu. The policy now states that no infected child or teacher may be prevented from attending a school in South Africa. Then, his appearance last year at the 13th International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, made international headlines. A mere 11-years old at the time, Nkosi captured the hearts of hundreds of delegates and millions of TV viewers when he spoke of his experiences with HIV/AIDS and the issues surrounding HIV in South Africa. After successfully fighting the effects of HIV/AIDS for years, Nkosi became desperately ill at the end of December 2000. The illness left him semi-comatose and brain damaged. Receiving his sustenance via a naso-gastric tube into his stomach, Nkosi nevertheless clung ferociously to life for a further five months. Gail Johnson will continue the work that she and Nkosi began together. Already, in 1999, she founded Nkosi's Haven, a care centre for women and children with AIDS, in Johannesburg. Recently, a new, greater vision emerged, one which extends to, amongst others, a project to provide HIV/AIDS mothers and children and AIDS orphans with shelter, care and employment in a communal environment. This vision has now resulted in the soon to be established Nkosi Johnson AIDS Foundation, which will be administered by Guardrisk and will receive legal advice from Edward Nathan & Friedland (Proprietary) Limited. One of the primary aims of the Foundation will be to offer residential care for HIV/AIDS mothers and children and AIDS orphans and also to secure the future for AIDS orphans. The Foundation has already established a Web site to facilitate the processing of donations from supporters both inside and outside of South Africa. The site is currently live and during the course of today, the donation link will go live, enabling well-wishers to make secure on-line donations to The Nkosi Johnson Aids Foundation, using their credit cards, at http://nkosi.iafrica.com | |
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