If I kept it to myself - World YWCA

If I kept it to myself
infections and providing information about Antiretroviral
(ARV) treatment. The medical staff
also supports us with medical check-ups, ARV
treatment, providing information related to HIV
and AIDS treatment and introducing support
services.
This support group also involves sharing
experiences with other mothers and solving
conflicts between women living with HIV and
their families. In this way, mothers are able to
participate in social activities and speak out in
the community to fight stigma and discrimination
among people living with HIV and AIDS.
I have also been instrumental in mobilising
husbands to support their wives, and in
convincing health care workers to provide ARV
medication for fathers who were drug users. I
told them my story and how my husband and
I were infected. I also agreed that if only the
wife receives ARV medicine, she will share it
with her husband. This is not a good way for
treatment adherence, but it’s done because
the wife does not have the heart to see her
husband without medicine. We should therefore
encourage husbands, by providing medicine and
opportunities, to take part in activities relating
to HIV and AIDS. Many have joined the support
group and they attend some activities such as
speaking with the community, and participating in
the nutritional training courses.
Together with my friends from the Sunflower
support group, I distribute clean syringes and
needles, and collect dirty ones as part of our
efforts to reduce harm. This year, we received
funding from PEPFAR, which does not allow us
to distribute clean needles or talk about condoms
to those under 15. Now, we are working with the
District Health Centre to send two members of
Sunflower to collect used needles and syringes.
We also distribute condoms and host awareness
raising activities to reduce the transmission of
HIV in the community.
We attended the Innovation day held by AusAid
in Hanoi, and presented our project with the
theme: “The things I wish to tell you” - Fighting
stigma and shame against HIV positive mothers
and their children in Dong Da, Hanoi. We also
participated in the «Warm hug day» programme
organised by FHI and the Hanoi health on
November 31, 2004, where members of the
Sunflower group spoke openly on living positively
with HIV and AIDS. I take part in workshops
organized by Care, Policy, FHI and share
information and experience in communicating
on HIV and AIDS. In February 2005, I attended
a workshop at the Press Club, Hanoi, organized
by UNAIDS and Policy and where the host was
the National Women’s Union. This workshop was
to introduce a new magazine and documents
about fighting stigma and discrimination with
PLWHA. Although I did not do a presentation at
this workshop I had an opportunity to meet with
influential people as an HIV infected person. I
also visit members to help them prepare their
applications (i.e. business plan, etc) for a loan for
income generating activities.
The first time I participated in these activities,
I felt hesitant. However, thanks to the
encouragement and support from project staff
and friends I overcame my inferiority complex of
the “disease”. What makes me feel excited while
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