Funeka Menze

Funeka Menze is a confident and driven mother of two. She has experienced poverty and illness within her family and personal life, but continues to be determined in overcoming challenges and working towards new opportunities. Her ambitious and open nature has led her to become involved with TransCape in many different roles.

Funeka is 30 years old, the second daughter in a family of eight girls. She has lived in Mandleni, Nyandeni municipality with her family for her entire life. Her father was a mine worker until 1982. When he lost his job, the family faced great financial difficulties and were forced to sell their livestock to keep the children in school. The family has also suffered greatly because of illness. They have lost two daughters, those who were closest in age to Funeka, the younger in 1999 and the eldest in 2003.

In 2003, after she knew that her older sister had died of AIDS, Funeka went to be tested for HIV. Her test came back positive. Funeka was shattered and overwhelmed. She was afraid that if anyone found out, they would throw her out of the community. For many people in South Africa, this is what happens. Families and communities may reject or disown their members if they test positive for the virus. There are entire villages in the country made up of ostracized HIV positive persons.

For the next two years, Funeka struggled with her fears, feeling alone in her worries and experiences of the illness. The year 2005 was extremely difficult for her: she lost her three month old daughter and became very sick with meningitis.

While she was sick, Funeka went to the nearest government hospital in her municipality, in the community of Canzibe. While there, she attended a meeting of an HIV/AIDS support group. She was impressed and encouraged by the way they strengthened and shared with each other.

Funeka decided to start her own support group and with the help of a Canzibe doctor, the group met on September 25, 2005 for the first time. There were five members who met, sharing their experiences of HIV/AIDS and comforting each other in times of hardship. The group has since expanded to ten in the area, with some receiving financial support from TransCape. Funeka is the only remaining member of the original group, as the others have passed away from the disease.

In late 2005, Funeka began to train as an HIV/AIDS counsellor and educator. In 2006, she began to teach about HIV/AIDS at local clinics. She didn’t always feel confident when she was teaching, but continued to do it regardless of her nerves or the receptiveness of her audience.

In July 2006, Funeka became very sick again and was told that she had to begin antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. Canzibe Hospital did not yet have access to ARVs, so Funeka approached TransCape for help. The organization sponsored her treatment, making her their first ARV recipient. Later in the year, TransCape built an ARV clinic in partnership with Canzibe Hospital.

After responding well to the ARVs, Funeka continued to teach; at clinics, schools, and TransCape awareness days. Later, she became employed by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), a national initiative for HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment. Currently, she is paid by the TAC for monthly visits to local schools.

Funeka has become a very strong and powerful speaker. She teaches with such confidence and passion that it is hard for anyone to ignore or disregard her words. She is encouraged when crowds are receptive to her message, but no longer cares what people think or say about her.

When she is not teaching or speaking at awareness days, Funeka runs a small chicken business. She started this business from a small interest-free or “micro” loan from TransCape. Funeka raises day-old chicks and sells them at six weeks old in the local market. With her income from this business and the TAC, she supports her two sons, five sisters and parents.

Funeka hopes to eventually become an engineer. Currently, she is taking computer classes to become a clerk, so that she can pay for engineering school. She also hopes that her boys will be educated and grow up to be decent people, respecting and caring for others and their community.

Stories Written by Karin Zylstra Sawatzky Photos by Matthew Zylstra Sawatzky