This is a Lanthom flower tree and its name means 'sadness'. People believe that if you grow this flower it will bring tragedy upon your family. So when I was sick and my mother planted this tree I was very angry. I thought it would bring bad luck to us all. But my mother wouldn't listen and told me it had nothing to do with illness and disease.

Now that all the hard times are behind me, I realise that my mother was right. This is just a beautiful white flower. It has nothing to do with being HIV-positive. [©Ton/MSF]