On January 28, 2008, Tatu and her daughter Faith attended President Bush's State of the Union Address as honored guests of the first lady. President Bush discussed the success of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which is embodied by women and children like Tatu and Faith.

My name is Tatu and I am 35 years old. I am a nurse at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) in Tanzania.

I am not sure when I contracted HIV. When I became pregnant in 2004, I went to the antenatal clinic at KCMC. I was given a blood test and discovered that I was HIV-positive.

I was very shocked when I learned my HIV status and I felt scared for my health and the health of my baby. But the counselors at KCMC’s prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) clinic, which the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation supports, gave me hope. They told me there were things I could do to prevent my baby from contracting HIV.

I took a dose of nevirapine during my pregnancy to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to my baby. I delivered my daughter, who I named Faith, through cesarean section and she received a dose of nevirapine after she was born. I am lucky to have access to clean water so I could feed Faith with formula rather than breast-feeding her. This further reduced her risk of contracting HIV.

Faith is now five years old and she is HIV-negative. She is a happy, healthy child and my health is also good. I am so glad to be working at KCMC, where I counsel women who are going through what I went through and encourage them to participate in the PMTCT program.

Faith and I have a bright future ahead of us. I would like to continue my studies and I am planning the same thing for Faith when she gets older. I am grateful to the Foundation for everything it has done for me, my daughter, and all the other women and children who need help to save their lives.

Tatu and Faith live with their family in Northern Tanzania. Tatu speaks regularly at Foundation events and participated in AIDS Walk Africa 2007.