Lesotho Aids diary: The people

Almost one in four adults in the tiny mountain kingdom of Lesotho is HIV-positive, making it one of the countries worst hit by the Aids pandemic.

Over the next six months, the BBC, in conjunction with medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, will follow the lives of seven people from the community of St Rodrigue, 40km south of the capital, Maseru, as they struggle to live with the HIV crisis.

"HIV is still killing the people of Lesotho, but I don't have to bury entire families in my village any more" Relebone Sonopo | Chief | St Rodrigue

"I think that my own family experience helps me to be a better nurse" Thakane Motete | Nurse | St Rodrigue

"I miss my mother so much. When she was alive she took care of me in such a special way. None of my friends know I am HIV-positive" Anonymous | Orphan | village near St Rodrigue

"Our school loses its qualified teachers because of HIV, staff and students get sick, or they have people in their own families who have the disease" Mapaseka Mphaololi | Teacher | Mantsatlala village

"The reason people love me is because I give them hope" Joseph Ramokoatsi | Lay counsellor | St Rodrigue

"I started anti-retroviral drugs almost immediately after my diagnosis. Three weeks later my limbs could carry me again
" Mamatsoele Leseo | Patient | Setleketsens village

"When someone who was open about being HIV-positive dies, people start to get worried. They start to think there is no hope - but there is" Macecilia Makhetha Leche | MSF counselling co-ordinator| Morija

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Medecins Sans Frontieres
UNAids
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