Sylvia* lives in Homa Bay, Kenya. She's HIV+ and the novel coronavirus pandemic has meant major changes in her daily routine. Her daughter, Gift*, who is 4, is especially bright, so Sylvia enrolled her in school in January; it closed almost immediately. Neighbours used to watch Gift when Sylvia had to work, but that’s become harder with social distancing. When Sylvia goes to the hair salon to braid hair, she now brings Gift along. When she’s washing clothes in the neighbourhood, she lets Gift play on her own - and trusts that she’ll come to find her mother when she’s hungry.
* Not their real names