In September 2002 she started taking ARVs and immediately saw the difference. "It was amazing; before I was losing weight and I had meningitis. Then I gained weight very quickly and felt stronger. I had no side-effects, just once I had a case of shingles."

Nomalunga was so inspired by the change; she now felt she had a future for herself and for her daughter. She went to the Red Cross to train as a carer. She now has her own patients to look after and she attends support groups for HIV-positive people twice a week.