To get rid of discrimination we should talk

‘I am a member of ‘We are together’ Association… we learn about adhering to the treatments and give moral support to those who quit or do not adhere. I am only doing voluntary work there… Continue reading →

The stigma was within me

‘I had difficulty in disclosing my status at home because I thought they would discriminate against me. But luckily my mother was able to make me feel comfortable enough to tell her, because she was very close to me…we sat down and talked, she asked me about the results. Continue reading →

No one touches a cup I touched

‘In my view…stigma still exists. However, I feel happy as I live a long life. It is almost five years since I have started ART. It gives me real pleasure because I didn’t expect to live long when I was found to be HIV-positive… Continue reading →

I am useful for society, I am equal to someone who is not infected

‘I wanted to work to sustain my family. But when I went back to the bank they already know I was HIV-positive so they dismissed me… Just because I am HIV positive that does not mean that I cannot work. Continue reading →

…people think the virus lives on our hands

‘I felt free [when I knew my status]. I was not troubled a lot… I did not encounter what others do when if someone knows that you have this disease they don’t like having you in their home, they do not invite you. No, that did not happen to me. I quickly see if someone is discriminatory towards me and I just go home. Continue reading →

People ask me to bring them their antiretrovirals secretly

‘Stigma had wreaked so much havoc in my life that I could not breathe. Every step I took to piece my life back together, stigma would be waiting.   Continue reading →

They separate themselves from me and start talking about me

I have never experienced direct discrimination but there is indirect discrimination… I understand that people discriminate me from the way they look at me… by the way people behave with me and even with my children or wife. Continue reading →

I see that people lack knowledge…there is a lot to be done

‘They say knowledge is power, I did not know that. I thought that with the children I have – I cannot have HIV, they are alive…  Continue reading →

I have learnt that I am not alone

“…my baby and I were diagnosed four years ago and this saved him from death. This was because of the early detection that offered us more options for treatment. Thanks to God he is now getting well and has recovered from all kinds of infections… Continue reading →

They shouldn’t be scared because that fear will kill them

“…you know, this thing of saying that ‘I am living with HIV’, I tell some people but not all the community, because some people may discriminate you and not feel comfortable with you. You see, there are those who have no information about this disease Continue reading →