Peer Support in Action Part 2
When ‘Looking Healthy’ Isn’t the Whole Story: Nkosizile’s Journey Back to Care
*Name and image changed to protect the individual’s identity
In the first blog of this three-part series, we introduced our peer-to-peer project in Bulawayo and how peer supporters act as an important bridge between clinics and communities. In this second post, we bring that model to life through the story of one resilient child.
A Story of Resilience
When 10-year-old Nkosizile stopped coming to the healthcare facility in Bulawayo, it was easy to assume everything was fine. After all, she looked healthy, active and bright. But behind her absence was a reality that many children and families face; hidden burdens, transport barriers, financial challenges, and misunderstandings about how HIV treatment works. Nkosizile’s journey back to care is a powerful reminder of the importance of peer support — to catch the children and families who fall through the cracks of the formal health system.
Nkosizile had been lost to follow-up for more than a year and had completely stopped taking her medication. Recognising the high risks of a break in treatment, our local peer supporters flagged her case as a priority and sprang into action by actively following up with her family. The journey back wasn’t instant. It started with phone calls. After several attempts, the peer supporters finally reached Nkosizile’s father, who shared that high transport costs had made it almost impossible to travel to the facility regularly and consistently.
Wanting to understand how to help, the peer supporters conducted a home visit. During this visit, they met Nkosizile’s grandmother, who is her primary caregiver. With empathy and no judgement, the peer supporters shared their concern that they had not seen Nkosizile at the facility for some time and wanted to check on her and the family’s wellbeing. The grandmother appreciated the visit and promised to bring her back to the healthcare facility the following week.
When Nkosizile and her grandmother eventually returned to the facility, the peer supporters uncovered another important piece of the puzzle. The family genuinely believed that because Nkosizile looked healthy and was not showing signs of illness, she did not need to continue attending appointments or taking treatment consistently. Furthermore, through one-on-one counselling, the peer supporters realised that Nkosizile did not truly understand her HIV status and medication; her grandmother had only shared a partial explanation with her.
Peer supporters immediately teamed up with healthcare providers at the facility. Together, they walked the family through how HIV treatment works, explaining that staying healthy on the outside requires consistent, lifelong treatment on the inside and support. With the grandmother’s permission, they guided Nkosizile through a full, age-appropriate disclosure process, helping her understand her diagnosis and her treatment.
This collaborative approach helped rebuild the family’s confidence in care and today, Nkosizile is fully back in care and has not missed a clinic appointment or ART dose.
The Power of Working Together
Nkosizile’s story shows why collaboration between healthcare facilities and communities is essential to reaching every child. By working alongside peer supporters and other community-based healthcare providers, healthcare provider teams can better understand the barriers families face and support children who might otherwise be missed. This collaboration helps extend care beyond the healthcare facility, making services more connected, responsive, and person-centred—and ensuring that no child is left behind.
Stay Tuned!
In our final blog post of this 3-part series, we will look at how we ensure that truly no child or youth is left behind. We will take you inside children’s homes in Bulawayo, where our peer supporters and healthcare providers teamed up to provide vulnerable children with support so they can thrive.
*Name and image changed to protect the individual’s identity
