Kande’s Story - How a community can love and care for people affected by AIDS

Jul 17, 2026

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Kande’s Story explores how a supportive community responds to a family affected by AIDS. In Chapter 1, Kande discovers her father is ill with AIDS and learns the painful truth behind rumors. While the household worries about his weak health and possible death, Kande seeks answers and comfort from her mother. The narrative emphasizes honesty, compassion, and faith as the family faces fear, hunger, and uncertainty together.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages46

Reading Time1 h 11 min

Chapter 1

Mama’s Secrets

Kande’s Story: How a community can love and care for people affected by AIDS Learner's Book English Health Kande’s Story: How a community can love and care for people affected by AIDS Adapted by Kathie Watters and Margaret Hill Illustrations by MBANJI Bawe Ernest English Copyright © 2012, SIL International [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) You may not use this work for commercial purposes. You may adapt and add to this work, but you may distribute the resulting work only under the same or similar license to this one. You must keep the copyright and credits for authors, illustrators, etc. Permission is granted for reproduction for non-commercial use or translation of this text as long as the source and copyright are acknowledged and the text is not altered more than required for good translation. For questions email [kathie_watters@sil.org. Stories](kathie_watters@sil.org. Stories) and illustrations adapted from the Kande Stories, Books 1-5 © 2004 Shellbook Publishing Systems ([www.shellbook.com](www.shellbook.com) ). Used with permission. Kande’s Story, How a community can love and care for people affected by AIDS, Learner’s Book Adapted by Kathie Watters and Margaret Hill Illustrations by: MBANJI Bawe Ernest © 2006, 2009, 2012 (electronic only) SIL International Chapter 1 Mama’s Secrets This is the story of Kande. One day, Kande sat under a tree reading. Her sister Teshi came running.“Kande, Kande! I heard the women talking. They said Mama has a secret! What can it be?”“I think I know, little sister,” said Kande.“Let’s go talk to Mama and find out. I’ll race you!” Kande and Teshi arrived home laughing and out of breath. Their sisters Falala and Iniko and their brother Jumoke came to see what the excitement was about. Mama hushed them.‘Be quiet and let your papa sleep,” she said as she herded them away. Teshi asked,“Mama, do you have a secret?” Mama put her hand on her middle and said,“Our family is growing bigger.” Four-year-old Iniko said,“I’m going inside to tell Papa!” Mama picked her up before she could get to the door.“He already knows, little one. Let him rest,” Mama said. Iniko frowned. She loved to climb on Papa, but lately she had hardly been allowed to go near him. For a long time he had been lying down, never working. He had gotten thin and was very weak. He had a bad cough. The whole family worried about him. One day Kande was at the market. She was telling her friends that her mother was having a baby. A boy walked by and jeered,“That baby is going to have AIDS just like your father!”Kande did not know what he meant.“Surely Papa doesn’t have AIDS”, she thought,“or does he?”“Don’t listen to that boy!”her friends said. Later that night Kande asked her mother,“Does Papa have AIDS? I’m old enough to know.” Kande’s mother looked away. Kande could see that she was crying. She answered,“Yes he does. I am sorry that you heard it from somebody else first.” What will we do if Papa dies?” Kande asked.“How will we get food and money in order to live?”“God will help us,” Mama said. They cried together for a while.

FAQs

What secret does Mama share with the children in Chapter 1?

Mama tells them that their family is growing bigger, explaining the new baby news after the children hear women talking.

How does Kande learn that her father has AIDS?

Kande first hears a cruel rumor at the market, then asks her mother that night and receives confirmation that her father has AIDS.

What does Mama say will help the family if Papa dies?

Mama tells Kande that God will help them and encourages her to hope and cope despite the family’s fear and worry.

Jul 17, 2026

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