AN estimated 1.2 million Zambians are said to living
with the HIV virus. As at 2017, around 41,000 adults and 7,300 children became
newly infected with the HIV virus.
First discovered in the early 1980’s, not cure have
been found for the infections that is mostly transmitted through contact will
bodily fluids such as blood.
Despite having been around for close to four
decades, most people living with the HIV virus have opted to remain silent
about their status for fear of suffering from stigma and discrimination.
However, some have defied the odds and come out in
the open to disclose their statuses.
In this question and answer article, 19-year-old
Chipata based Emilia Muzwiti, who was born positive, narrates why she decided
to break the silence and the challenges that she has managed to overcome in her
day to day life.
Onishias:
To get our interview underway,
who is Emilia Muzwiti?
Emilia:
My name is Emilia Muzwiti aged
19, the first born in a family of two. I was born in the year 2000. Since 2000,
I have been living positively, I was born positive. My dad was HIV positive but
unfortunately he never told mum about his status.
Onishias:
When and how did you discover
that you were HIV positive?
 |
19 year-old Emilia Muzwiti who
was born HIV positive
|
Emilia:
In 2007, I developed sores which
would heal after taking medicine but would reappear within a short space of
time. Later in the year, my skin started getting dark. It was at this time that
my grandmother who knew a lot about the symptoms of HIV convinced my parents to
get me tested for the virus. My mother got the shock of her when we both tested
positive. She blamed it on my father, though she started her medication, she
couldn’t bear the thought of being HIV positive and in 2010, she died. I was
only ten years old at the time
Onishias:
You lost your mother when you
only 10 years old, how did it feel to be orphaned at a tender age?
Emilia:
“At that time it was really
devastating. I was very hurt and I felt so lonely. When I heard my friends
calling out for their mothers, I would ask myself that how about me? Most of
the time, I would find myself crying.”
Onishias:
Have you come out in the open to
disclose your status? If so when and why?
Emilia:
Yes I have, last year (2018). I
just had that spirit of wanting to encourage other young people who are like
me, those that are being discouraged that they cannot do anything because of
their status. My coming out in the open was about offering support to people
living with the virus that they are people who can do anything just like those
who are HIV negative. They are beautiful like that one bright start in the sky.
Among my friends, I never faced any rejection as they readily accepted
my status and they have been supportive. My granny too has been so supportive
to me and my young sister [Sibongile] who is positive.
My relationship with young sister is nice. I treat
her like my daughter, I support her and I am always there for her. I want to
give her that love because when our mother died, she did not know anything.
Onishias:
What career do you want pursue?
Emilia:
I want to study law. I have always wished to be a lawyer. I draw my inspiration
from my grandfather. Although he is not a lawyer himself, but he is so much
into human rights issues. I also want to build an orphanage so that I can be
offering support to vulnerable children. I want to give them love that they
could be missing from a normal family support. My desire to build and orphanage
has nothing to do with my losing my mother at a tender age. I just want to do
it.
Onishias:
Being on ART could be challenging, have you ever felt like giving up?
Emilia:
Yeah, that has been happening to me. I have taking my
drugs for so long now. Sometimes I feel like am tired and I just wanted to give
up. However, what keeps me moving is that I have faith in God. If he wanted me
to die, I would have died a long time ago. But he has he a purpose for me that
is why am still alive.
Further,
I have I read a lot of motivational books. I have joined a group called
grassroot soccer where I encourage and educate young people who are positive on
how they can continue living healthy lives.
Onishias:
There could be other young who are positive yet they have not come out in the
open, what is your word of encouragement to them?
Emilia:
They should not stay back because of their status. To me,
I just say “Nivi life che” they need to be happy like any other person.
Wherever they are, they are beautiful and handsome and God loves them. They
need to stand on their feet and tell the world who they are.
At
home, Emilia is a marvel to live with and that fragrance that paints a smile on
her grandparents as revealed by her grandfather Richard Kumwenda whom she
fondly calls, Mr. ‘Kumuz.’
Via
telephone, Mr. Kumwenda narrates how proud he is that Emilia has decided to
break the silence by dislosing her status.
Onishias:
How does it make you feel that Emilia has come out in the
open to disclose her status?
Mr.
Kumuz: “Am actually very happy because she has actually been
brave. We encourage her to take her medicine from the time it was discovered
that she was HIV positive and she has accepted her condition. We give her all
the support especially when it comes to taking her treatment. We emphasize that
she needs to be consistent with it as skipping would lead to complications. My
wife too has been so supportive to her and her young sister as both are living
with the virus.”
Today,
many people living with HIV who adhere to ART, are able to live normal lives
and be productive as those living that are HIV negative.
However,
there are some that have failed to disclose their status. Sadly, some have died
for fear of being discriminated against by those that still perceive HIV/AIDS
as an instant death sentence.
It
must however be noted that people who are HIV positive need everyone’s support
so that they don’t feel discriminated against.
As
the saying goes “If you are not infected, you are affected.” It is therefore
incumbent upon us that we embrace people living with the HIV in our
communities.
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