If I kept it to myself - World YWCA
If I kept it to myself - World YWCA
If I kept it to myself - World YWCA
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>If</strong> I <strong>kept</strong> <strong>it</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>myself</strong><br />
I am happy because of my openness. I<br />
always find people at my home who need my<br />
counselling. The major<strong>it</strong>y of them wonder how<br />
I live as a widow w<strong>it</strong>h four children <strong>to</strong> take care<br />
of. Many are HIV pos<strong>it</strong>ive and seek advice about<br />
how they can live like me. I always feel proud <strong>to</strong><br />
help others cope w<strong>it</strong>h the disease.<br />
I joined the National Association of Women<br />
Living w<strong>it</strong>h HIV and AIDS, where we help<br />
pos<strong>it</strong>ive women gain courage <strong>to</strong> live pos<strong>it</strong>ively.<br />
We also teach each other how <strong>to</strong> cook and<br />
weave mats and baskets, and talk about our<br />
challenges as African women, and how <strong>to</strong><br />
address these. We learn how <strong>to</strong> wr<strong>it</strong>e wills and<br />
memory books. I haven’t yet learnt enough<br />
<strong>to</strong> wr<strong>it</strong>e these but I hope <strong>to</strong> once I master the<br />
necessary skills.<br />
I am also an active member of the Uganda Youth<br />
Pos<strong>it</strong>ives (UYP). This is a club of people up <strong>to</strong><br />
the age of 30. Through the club we teach the<br />
youth, both affected and infected, about the need<br />
<strong>to</strong> abstain from sex, and <strong>to</strong> those who cannot,<br />
<strong>to</strong> use condoms. We also encourage them <strong>to</strong><br />
use the opportun<strong>it</strong>ies of being in school if they<br />
still have a chance. We advise them <strong>to</strong> always<br />
test w<strong>it</strong>h their partners, three times in gaps of<br />
six months before they engage in sex, and also<br />
<strong>to</strong> be fa<strong>it</strong>hful <strong>to</strong> each other because <strong>it</strong> is the key<br />
<strong>to</strong> living a healthy life. We also encourage them<br />
<strong>to</strong> give other people information about HIV and<br />
AIDS and assistance <strong>to</strong> the sick. This is a new<br />
club and <strong>it</strong> is basically for information sharing<br />
purposes.<br />
I am currently making local hand bongos,<br />
necklaces and other trad<strong>it</strong>ional ladies’ jewellery<br />
from which I earn a living. I am looking around for<br />
a job but nothing has yet come my way. However,<br />
I am pos<strong>it</strong>ive about life.<br />
All my children are in school. The first three<br />
stay w<strong>it</strong>h my mother in the village. The last one<br />
is staying w<strong>it</strong>h my paternal aunt in Kawempe. I<br />
want my children <strong>to</strong> study up <strong>to</strong> univers<strong>it</strong>y and<br />
get better jobs, but most importantly I want them<br />
<strong>to</strong> make informed decisions because I believe<br />
that if I had studied, I would have been able <strong>to</strong><br />
have enough information about HIV and make<br />
informed decisions. I want them <strong>to</strong> be in good<br />
schools but I have no money <strong>to</strong> pay for this.<br />
Nevertheless, I will try my best as long as I am<br />
living <strong>to</strong> give them an education.<br />
36<br />
Born: 1978<br />
Country: Uganda<br />
Organisation:<br />
National Association<br />
of Women Living<br />
w<strong>it</strong>h HIV and AIDS,<br />
Uganda Youth<br />
Pos<strong>it</strong>ives (UYP), TASO<br />
(The AIDS Support<br />
Organisation)<br />
Campaigns for:<br />
Voluntary Counselling<br />
and Testing (VCT),<br />
pos<strong>it</strong>ive living