Lorna

My name is Lorna I am 23 years old. When I am three mum dies.

Everyone is saying that the reason for her death is ‘chira’ (a curse). I start becoming sick. I am on and off hospital. My dad keeps giving me herbal medicines I don’t understand. He insists that if I have to be healthy I have to take them. Dad dies. He has been sick for one and a half years. I become sick again. Everyone is criticizing my condition. In my third year in high school. I have developed a fungal infection on my face. My aunt takes me to hospital and I am given thorough medical examination. I test HIV positive and immediately put on treatment. I have a CD4 count of 30. I complete my secondary school education and move in with my sister. She makes me work for her in the house as a domestic help. Sometimes I am not allowed to go for my medication in time because I have to run her errands. My immune system starts going down and I have a herpes attack. I am taken to hospital for treatment. I finally secure a job as an untrained teacher. I need to go to college so I work for a whole year, saving all my earnings and I secure a place in college but I have to drop out because I can no longer pay the school fees. I know I can only get the good life I long for if I have post secondary school training. I am still seeking support on this because I am one person who believes that regardless of my HIV status, I can still make it in life …. If only I get support.