Voices of People Living with HIV and AIDS
In the United States and worldwide, people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) have been at the forefront of efforts to mobilize a comprehensive response to the epidemic and hold government leaders and others accountable for allocating essential resources and implementing effective policies. In particular, ensuring that all people with HIV/AIDS have access to effective, affordable treatment is a top priority for global AIDS activists, and two of the most important voices of PLWHA on treatment issues are the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition and the Pan-African Treatment Access Movement. In addition, the International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV/AIDS (INERELA+) is an important voice for PLWHA.
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| © 2006 CARE/Wayne Crawford |
Click here to view a New York Times multimedia presentation in which eight men and women speak about their experiences living with HIV in America.
Here are some more voices of people living with HIV and AIDS:
"You look at me, and you see a healthy woman. You can shake my hand, drink from my glass, even embrace me... None of these things will give you AIDS. There were times when I was abandoned and alone because even my closest friends and family turned away from me. They did not understand these things.
If someone in a village falls on hard times, their neighbors are always there to help. But this is not the case if someone has HIV. If a community member becomes ill with AIDS, she is shunned by everyone. The only way to fight this problem is through education. When people understand the disease and learn that they can safely offer help and support to their family and neighbors who are sick, then they will begin to do what is right.
I have lost a lot because of HIV, but I have gained so much more. We must work together to fight the stigma and ignorance surrounding this disease, but perhaps even more importantly, we should learn to help each other and not turn our backs on other women and mothers who need help and support." —Djama Amadou, HIV-positive woman in Niger (SOURCE: A Shining Example: Living with HIV in Niger, CARE International, August 2006)
"I earned a living for this family. I earned money to send my younger sisters and brothers to school, for them to graduate and live like other young people do. Now I was the one bringing shame on the family, humiliating my younger sisters. Why did I get this? Was it my fault? Whatever it was, they called me 'the AIDS woman.' And they said it like a new swear word." —Anonymous (SOURCE: The AIDS Woman, CARE International, November 2006)