EXCLUSIVE – BY AARON AINOMUGISHA. In 2000, Ms. Juliet Kasande tested positive for HIV/AIDS. Her husband, a centenary bank accountant whom she had married in 1988 later died in 2003, a week after graduating with Master’s Degree. AUDIO BELOW – 22 YEARS OF CONQUERING HIV/AIDS STIGMA!
Juliet’s husband hadn’t disclosed his HIV status to her, and he left her with 3-months pregnancy and 6 orphans including 6-months baby in 2003. Of the 7 children, only 1 child is HIV positive. 4 have already graduated with degrees and 3 are still studying.
In this story (Runyankore-Rukiga language), Juliet who is now 57 years old narrates her experience; “22 YEARS OF CONQUERING HIV/AIDS STIGMA”. She also expresses concern that many people especially the youths don’t want to follow the ABC prevention strategy yet HIV/AIDS is still prevalent. She is a successful widow who heads a group of over 80 people living with HIV/AIDS in Rwenjeru village Kashumba sub county Bukanga county Isingiro district in western Uganda. She harvests at least 80 bunches of matooke monthly, has 8 cows, 17 goats and 52 beehives where she gets money to pay for her children’s school fees.
Currently, of the estimated 1.5 million people living with HIV in Uganda, around 1.3 million are aware of their HIV status and 1.2 million are on treatment. Young people are responsible for the spread of HIV 34% annually, according to The United Nations Population Fund-UNFPA statistics.
“22 YEARS OF CONQUERING HIV/AIDS STIGMA”. AARON AINOMUGISHA AND HEALTH JOURNALISTS NETWORK-UGANDA.
