In the spirit of strong men and dads this Father’s Day, we share the story of Alexander Omolo Oloo and William Masiga. Alexander has six children, so when he fell sick his sister urgently sought help from our community health worker, William Masiga. When William arrived he found Alexander lying on the mud floor of his mother’s hut which is against local Luo culture, but he was ready to die. William carried Alexander on the back of his bicycle to the nearest health centre.
Alexander began anti-retroviral therapy for HIV, which he is still taking today. William also linked him to an organisation that gave him porridge flour to strengthen his health. At that time he couldn’t ride a bike, or even walk alone. Now he can look after his cattle again. Alexander vows not to stop taking the treatment he’s started, so that he never returns to the state he was in. “With community health workers and God, anything is possible,” he says. We celebrate this strong bond between two men that saved a life. Happy Father's Day to all the dads and male role models out there in this very tumultuous year for everyone.