If I kept it to myself - World YWCA

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If I kept it to myself In the community, my mother helped by talking to other mothers, sadly some would say we shouldn’t come near their families because I would infect them. The discrimination and stigmatisation continued like this until I decided to consult with our chief who called a community meeting to address the issue. I continued to tell people about HIV and my experiences because I wanted them to start talking and face the reality in their own community. Today, things are much better and the very same people who were mocking me now need me the most. I have since started the Motjane HIV and AIDS Prevention Initiative (MHAPI), which involves members of my community, in building awareness of HIV and AIDS. I am a community worker and I do home visits for PLWHA. During my visits I not only provide emotional, psychological, and spiritual support, but I also do physical work like collecting firewood, cleaning the house, bathing and feeding the clients. I also provide referrals as needed. The MHAPI leadership works closely with my community chief, Chief Sipho Shongwe who at the time was the country’s Minister of Health. We did all we can to get influential individuals involved in our campaigns against stigma and discrimination of PLWHA. I first met the Minister of Health at a HIV and AIDS workshop organised by UNICEF. At the time, he was the Regional Administrator. I used the opportunity to talk about HIV and AIDS in our community. He was impressed and introduced me to his inner council. Since then, three members of his council have declared their status to the community. Working with the chief has been very interesting and has given us the opportunity to reach different committees. He has also helped mobilise funds for our project and brought specialists to volunteer with us. Now, other communities are inviting us to help get their leaders involved. MHAPI was the first initiative involving a chief in advocating for the community, and the impact has been great. My public life has led to wonderful opportunities to get involved at all levels. When the Ministry of Health was putting together its first manual for implementation of HIV and AIDS programmes, I became involved by collecting data for a number of surveys. The manual, ‘Behavioural Surveillance Survey’ (B.S.S) provides programme managers with ways to implement HIV and AIDS prevention intervention programmes that respond to trends in risk 84 behaviour. I was also involved in the national surveillance on HIV and AIDS. I have also been involved in the development of national guidelines on HIV and AIDS policy and participated in national, regional and international conferences on HIV and AIDS. In developing the national guidelines and policy, I brought the voice of the community and the experience of living with HIV to the process. We considered how the policy could address issues by not only concentrating on the medical aspects, but also on the social aspects. We also stressed the greater involvement of PLWHA at all levels of interventions. I am happy that the guidelines and policy address confidentiality and disclosure alongside treatment, care and support. As people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, we are benefiting from the roll out of antiretroviral treatment and are seeing stakeholders advocating and lobbying for comprehensive care and support. The country is doing its best even though some components are not in place; lack of skilled manpower is contributing greatly to the delay in implementing activities. As per policy requirements, nurses are being trained in antiretroviral treatment, and I am delighted to be one of the trainers. I strongly advocate for unity among HIV positive people, we must show love and support to each other. If I do not do good to others today, no one will come to my rescue in my time of need. It is important that we practice what we preach and be role models in our society. Our support group is growing daily; membership has grown to 580. We have 20 groups and I work closely with group leaders by visiting them in their regions. Our commitment to others is to maintain our dignity and value one another until the last day. The community is motivating all members to be in control of their lives and we encourage PLWHA to have ownership of these activities. Born: 1975 Country: Swaziland: Organisation: TASC, SASO Campaigns for: psychological, and spiritual support; national guidelines on HIV and AIDS
Young women intervene in a world with AIDS Trinh Thi Thuy Ngan I made my first public appearance while pregnant, and became a leader in mobilising other pregnant women and helping them to access the medical services they needed. At the age of 20, I moved to Ho Chi Minh City to work and study office and business management at Van Lang University. I then moved back to Hanoi where my family lives, and got married in 2002. In October 2004, I gave birth to a baby boy and now live together with my husband’s family in Hanoi. I did not know about HIV and AIDS until I became pregnant in March 2003 and discovered that I was infected. I was constantly reminded to protect my unborn child. I found ways to learn about HIV and AIDS. Through this process, I have gained experience and have had a chance to work in HIV and AIDS. The HIV epidemic is expanding all over the world and everybody is at risk of being infected. It is my pleasure to work on HIV because I believe that we should think about it as a disability, and should make life better for everyone, especially for those living with HIV and AIDS I am one of the first women in Vietnam who spoke out in public about the need to fight stigma and shame in the community. When I participated in meetings with leaders of Quang Trung ward, Red Cross staff and youth representatives from other wards, I emphasised the need to support HIV positive mothers to stay alive and take care of their families. I made my first public appearance while pregnant, and became a leader in mobilising other pregnant women and helping them to access the medical services they needed. I even mobilised other new mothers and their families to join the support group in the delivery room when I was there for the birth of my own child. After taking part in the group, some members still wavered and I encouraged them by talking with them and their families on the phone and visiting their houses. A month after the delivery I was back at the Sunflower support group for young mothers to encourage them and mobilise new members. Sunflower is a support group for mothers. However, there are some activities in the programme supporting their children, husbands and families. We meet once a week to share our experiences and encourage one another. Apart from working with the group, I participate in exchange sessions to share experiences with other HIV positive people in Hanoi and other provinces. In this group, HIV positive women and their families are provided with comprehensive care and support. This includes economic and social support, free vaccinations for children, income generating activities, and facilitating a referral system for the treatment of opportunistic 85
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