Sifiso describes himself as hard working, a characteristic he gets from his father. Shortly after Sifiso’s twelfth birthday, his father died of TB. When his father’s family blamed Sifiso’s mother for the death, she was forced to move away. In a spiral of grief, sadness, and loneliness, Sifiso focused on surviving for the next six years. His story is one of a lost childhood, and the gift of a second chance after moving to a new community.

key points to consider in viewing sifiso’s story

When children lose a parent to illness, they are placed at increased risk of poverty, violence, and HIV exposure. In Sifiso’s case, he lost both parents: one to illness and one to a family’s need to blame the loss on another person. In situations like these, young people often children suffer the most. As you view Sifiso’s story, think about what adults can do to care for and protect children when parents die, including what role local government agencies should play.

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Download Sifiso's story (.mov 25MB) (released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported license).