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 Children are also stigmatized
“I feel very bad when my classmates at school isolate me and tell me that I have AIDS,” said eleven-year-old Irene Kabaka, speaking about her life during a taping of the FEMINA TV Talk Show. Irene is one of the first children in Tanzania to publicly announce that she is living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Recently Prime Minister Frederick Sumaye welcomed the FEMINA TV Talk Show team and audience into his garden where they discussed a range of issues dealing with HIV and AIDS. Among those in the audience were children and young people who are infected and affected by HIV, including Irene.
Irene, who was born on November 25th, 1992 at Amana Hospital, Dar es Salaam, knows she contracted HIV from her mother. However, she does not hate her mother for infecting her with the virus. “I will always love my mother,” she sais.
THEY STIGMATIZE ME AT SCHOOL
Irene said she has friends who love her but there are others who isolate, tease and stigmatize her. “When we quarrel, they tell me ‘Get away with your AIDS. If we hit you, you will faint.’”
It was at school that she heard for the first time that she was HIV positive. When her classmates told her so, she reported the incident to the head teacher who punished them. She felt so upset that when she reached home, she discussed the incident with her Mother. “Mother told me it was true I had HIV but if they said that again, I should say ‘Yes, I do. Don’t you have it?’”
Fitina, Irene’s mother, says her daughter was diagnosed with the virus when she was 13 months old. At the time, Fitina was often sick and had shingles on her face, so a doctor advised her to test for HIV. She tested positive, and was advised to have her daughter tested as well. Irene’s test also came back positive. As she did not want to hurt her daughter’s feelings, Fitina chose to not tell Irene. That is why Irene was surprised when she was harassed by her classmates.
TO BE A JOURNALIST THAT'S MY DREAM - IRENE
Today Irene and her mother live positively and are still healthy. They get a lot of support from PASADA and SHDEPHA+, and Irene has supportive teachers at Bryceson Primary School in Dar es Salaam. Irene wants to be a journalist when she grows up.
Prime Minister Mr. Frederick Sumaye, said that stigmatization of those living with HIV must be fought thoroughly. “We must ensure we do not look down upon or isolate people with HIV. Stigmatization is contrary to human rights. People are declaring war on individuals who are positive, even though the government has already declared AIDS to be a national disaster.”
The Prime Minister said that if people living with HIV and AIDS are not isolated or stigmatized, the pace of the spread of the infection will decrease by half. “People do not test their HIV status because they know that if they test positive, they will be isolated by relatives, colleagues and friends. Hence people with HIV spread the virus and become re-infected,” said Mr. Sumaye.
CARE FOR AND SUPPORT PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/ AIDS
Furthermore, he said that loving and supporting people who are living with HIV and AIDS will allow them to better access health services and food. He advised those who are living with HIV to not despair. “If you despair you will die early. But if you know your status and live positively, you can live for many years.”
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Children need love, not stigmatization!
Let's love and care for infected kids.
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Stigma
