Patrick was diagnosed as being HIV positive in 2002, following the death of his first wife. Rejected by his family, he fell into the vicious cycle of poverty. With little income, he did not receive proper nutrition and became depressed.  Thanks to Handicap International's micro-credit project, Patrick was able to open, and put all his efforts into a small grocery store.
Thanks to this job, his new wife and young daughter eat three meals a day and he is better accepted by his family and the community. “Thanks to my work, I am now a happy man! People are surprised to see me still alive. Apart from the income I have obtained through this project, I am also benefiting from management training. I also value the health advice which has given me hope once again.”
Patrick is now confident about the future. He is planning to expand his business, to become a wholesaler and to buy himself a small plot of land. His parents give him moral support. By living a happy life, Patrick hopes to be an example, and to show that it is still possible to have plans despite being HIV positive. 

“Thanks go to Handicap International which provides hope for people whose only prospect was death.” 

“Sina wasi wasi” – (I'm not scared anymore!”), he says in Swahili.