Meet Mamello

Meet Mamello.

She joined us in the safehome two days ago.

There's something about that smile that really gets to me.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Yesterday, Mamello and I spent a good part of the day looking at all the old pictures on my camera.

Once she figured out how to scroll through the photos, she couldn't get enough.

Everytime she'd come across an old picture of my cat she look up at me with a smile and a giggle.

It took my breath away to be able to share such a simple moment of joy with a child like Mamello.

In this small interaction, she showed so much strength and determination to win the battles she is fighting.

Mamello spent the the past few weeks in the hospital due to severe malnutrition.

She's HIV positive and comes from a child-run household...meaning her parents died of HIV and her 16 year-old sister is now tasked with raising the younger siblings.

Because of her malnutrition and untreated HIV, Mamello is extremely weak and spends most of the day laying on her side watching the other little ones play.

But each day, I'll try to find something new to bring out that beautiful smile.

And before we all know it, Mamello will be the one we're all marveling at as she dances around the room.