But after undergoing counselling, she decided to break the taboo surrounding the disease by publicly revealing her HIV /AIDs status in the hope of inspiring others in similar situations and helping to prevent the spread of the disease.
Due to the stigma associated with HIV, many people in Zimbabwe, especially men, do not have the courage to publicly reveal their status. Since she tested HIV positive, Chiligidi has worked tirelessly to promote awareness of the disease in her district, telling her positive story in schools, churches and beer halls.
“When I tested HIV positive it seems as the end of the world for me. But after receiving good counselling, I picked up the pieces of my life and decided to tell my story to the whole world. My hope is that my personal experience will assist others,” said Chiligidi, who is also the local chairperson of the Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+).
Support centres
She has been moving around the length and breadth of Binga giving her testimony and educating people about the disease. The ZNNP+ official has also opened up two support centres at Binga and Siabuwa business centres to assist people living with the virus.
“At times people wrongfully assume that HIV/AIDs is only confined to promiscuous homosexual men and female prostitutes. But the truth is that we are all at risk. Anybody could get infected with HIV/AIDS. What is important is for people to get tested so that they know their status and get early treatment,” she said.
A lot of people in Binga were unnecessary losing their lives because they did want to be tested, said Chiligidi. “My heart bleeds when I see people dying due to ignorance and denial. Nobody, not even a single soul should die of aids in this age and era because there are drugs which can prolong people’s lives,” she said.
Since she tested positive, Chiligidi has been surviving through ARVs and eating a healthy diet of traditional food. She is happily married to an HIV negative husband.
Negative babies
“My two-year-old child is also HIV negative. HIV positive mothers can give birth to negative babies provided they take the necessary precautions” she said.
According to the Zimbabwe National Aids Council (NAC), an estimated 60 percent of Zimbabwean adults living with HIV are females. Large social and economic gaps between women and men have played a central role in the spread of HIV. Constrictive attitudes towards female sexuality contrast with lenient ones towards the sexual activity of men coupled with sexual abuse, rape and coerced sex have also been blamed for the HIV increase in women.
Post published in: News