Zimbabwe - Emily's Poem
This poem called "I Belong to MSF" is written by Emily Tanhi, a HIV+ Zimbabwean woman who is on anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs). ARVs help combat the virus and enable people to live longer, healthier lives without rapid degradation of their immune systems. The pills must be taken at the same time each day and the patients must carefully follow their drug regimen and a healthy lifestyle - by doing so, they feel much better and live much longer than those who do not take ARVs. In her poem, Emily explains why she follows the "rules" of her ARVs and how they better her life.
In Zimbabwe, MSF treats more than 40,000 people with ARVs.
I belong to MSF
I wake up in the morning
I start my day by washing my hands, cleaning my teeth and face
I boil my sasa and I eat it too hot
After that I check my time,
If it is six o’clock I take my tablets
I live according the rule of MSF
That is why I say I belong to MSF
I eat according to what I was told by nurses and doctors from MSF
I eat as many times as I can but according the rule of MSF
That is why I say I belong to MSF
Working in my garden, watering my vegetables, onions and so forth
But I do it according the rule of MSF
(If you overwork yourself your CD4 cell will be less)
That’s why I say I belong to MSF
Back in my house I try as much as I can to keep it clean
By doing so I will keep away flies
But I do it according to the rule of MSF
That’s why I say I belong to MSF
Myself I live according to the rule of MSF
If you live according to the rule of MSF then you will be as healthy as ever
That’s why I say I belong to MSF
Obey the rule of MSF then you by doing so will live longer
I myself belong to MSF
I live according the rule
Do whatever you do according to the rule of MSF
Thank you
By: Emily Tanhi
In Zimbabwe, MSF treats more than 40,000 people with ARVs.
I belong to MSF
I wake up in the morning
I start my day by washing my hands, cleaning my teeth and face
I boil my sasa and I eat it too hot
After that I check my time,
If it is six o’clock I take my tablets
I live according the rule of MSF
That is why I say I belong to MSF
I eat according to what I was told by nurses and doctors from MSF
I eat as many times as I can but according the rule of MSF
That is why I say I belong to MSF
Working in my garden, watering my vegetables, onions and so forth
But I do it according the rule of MSF
(If you overwork yourself your CD4 cell will be less)
That’s why I say I belong to MSF
Back in my house I try as much as I can to keep it clean
By doing so I will keep away flies
But I do it according to the rule of MSF
That’s why I say I belong to MSF
Myself I live according to the rule of MSF
If you live according to the rule of MSF then you will be as healthy as ever
That’s why I say I belong to MSF
Obey the rule of MSF then you by doing so will live longer
I myself belong to MSF
I live according the rule
Do whatever you do according to the rule of MSF
Thank you
By: Emily Tanhi
