HIV/AIDS is mostly considered as a condition worthy concealing from the public but Sijawa Musa, a 46-year-old woman from Simbiri village, TA Jalasi, Mangochi district thinks otherwise, thanks to various intervention done by Needed Actions for Community Care and Development-NACC.
HIV/AIDS is mostly considered as a condition worthy concealing from the public but Sijawa Musa, a 46-year-old woman from Simbiri village, TA Jalasi, Mangochi district thinks otherwise, thanks to various intervention done by Needed Actions for Community Care and Development-NACC.
Born in 1978, she had been leading her normal life until she started falling sick frequently. She was experiencing headaches and shingles and went for HIV testing and the hospital confirmed she was reactive. She faced many challenges such as lack of food and transportation to receive ARV medication because the hospital was far from their home at that time.
Besides all these, Musa felt ashamed and worried about how to support herself and her family and how people would judge her HIV status.
In 2008, Musa joined one of NACC’s established HIV/AIDS support groups: Chingwenya Support Group. Through NACC’s mentorship and couching, she received guidance and counselling on how to use antiretroviral (ARV) medication. She learned that it was okay to talk about her condition with friends.
NACC encouraged Musa to assist others facing similar circumstances. They also provided her with a goat to raise, enabling her to fulfil her family's needs such as food, clothing, school fees, and even have some extra money from selling the goat to use when she goes to collect her ARVs.
Today, Sijawa is not just a survivor; she is also a guide for others living with HIV. She shares her story and helps those who need support, showing them that there is nothing wrong with sharing one’s HIV status.