Issue #64 - August 2017

In 1992 during my S.6 Vacation I met a beautiful light skinned girl who became my
friend. After a while she told me that she had become pregnant with my child. I was
very shocked because I could not imagine myself taking care of a family while I was still
SAMUEL
studying. Nonetheless, I started taking care of the girl as she had become my wife.
When our baby turned two years, she became very sickly, with cough and diarrhea. The
TEBANDEKE
mother also developed a white rash which I thought was scabies, so I didnt take it Samuel is a married man with
seriously. I later took the baby to hospital but unfortunately towards the Easter season,
five children.
the baby died. I didnt expect that to happen.
My siblings told me that since the baby had passed on I ought to go back to school and He works with the Creative
take the girl back to her parents home since I had never officially been introduced to Learning Centre (CLC) at
her family. I didnt want to let her go since we loved each other very much but decided Kampala Baptist Church as a
to heed my siblings advice. Because I was scared of being beaten by her relatives for
taking her back, I never reached her home. Instead I asked another man to take her
mentor to the children who
home. Two weeks later, she passed on. I only found out about her death from one of were once in school but had to
her relatives who lived in Busega. Immediately I heard this, I ran to BOMAN House to drop out for one reason or
take an HIV test. At the time it cost one thousand shillings to get the test done. I was another.
told that results would be out in two weeks. After the two weeks, I went back for my
results and I was told I was HIV positive.
abstract paper for an HIV/AIDS conference and it went through. It was for a youth
I told them it was impossible. They did another test, this time for free. After another
conference in Switzerland. I, who had joined TASO in 1996 would now be going abroad;I
two weeks I returned to find that the results still showed I was HIV positive. I accepted
was so happy. I realized that the opportunities Gwokyalya had told me about were real.
the reality. I was told about the referral centers available like AIDS Information Centre
The stigma I had developed because of my situation started to reduce. I gained
(AIC), The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) and other NGOs that support people confidence from being with my fellow HIV Positive friends with whom we sang songs,
living with HIV. I was however suspicious of TASO because of my brothers experience. shared stories about our lives and
My brother had been getting support from TASO also educated people about HIV/
through Lubaga Hospital. One time, he was given AIDS. I was so confident that I
drugs to last him two weeks
unfortunately died after one week. So I was
but
being alone can bring suicidal began to freely and openly put on
TASO T-shirts and use TASO
convinced that TASOs mission was to kill people
living with HIV/AIDS. I chose to remain with my thoughts vehicles for transport. I started
taking ARVS in July 2008 because
referral letter to TASO for two years without my CD4 count had gone as low as
getting any medicine. 38 and I was very weak. Recently I went for a checkup and my viral load showed that the
When I moved to Kalerwe with my siblings, a friend of mine invited me to Kampala HIV was not detected. This means that if I continue swallowing the medicine in time and
Baptist Church where he said they were taking care of people in my situationthey in the set quantities I will stay alive and plan for my family and future.
were giving them some money, sharing the word of God and encouraging them. I was I have two children that I gave birth to while I was HIV positive. Thanks to PMTCT
more interested in the money. So I asked him when they met and he told me (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission) my children are HIV negative. It is possible
Thursdays and Saturdays. I chose to go on Thursday. for an HIV positive person to get married to another HIV positive person and they give
I remember when I came to Kampala Baptist Church in 1996 I was the only male in the birth to HIV negative children. I encourage those who are HIV positive not to lose hope
meeting, all the rest were women. There were two gentlemen Patrick Galabuzi and because there are fellowships such as Cup of Cold water here at Kampala Baptist Church
Robert Kanyike who would encourage us during our meetings in the hut. After the where they can come and share with other HIV positive people and receive
meetings we would get the two encouragement. Being HIV positive does not mean that you are towards the end of your
thousand shillings as I had been life; you are still a valuable member of society even when you have the virus. When
told by my friend. In the meetings living with HIV/AIDS, one has to respectfully take their medicines at the appointed time
I met a lady called Gwokyalya without fail to avoid health disturbances. The other thing is to get fellow HIV positive
who became my friend. friends to share your experiences with because being alone can bring suicidal thoughts. I
Gwokyalya encouraged me to go was in the cage of fear but now I am very strong. Counseling helped me realize that it
with her to TASO, where she was up to me to make a decision to cope with my status or not.
worked, because there were very Some people are really scared to talk about their HIV status but I encourage them to find
many job opportunities. I told her a friend that they can talk to. They can even talk to me. One should also ensure that they
I was never going to TASO check for their HIV status more than once. People living with HIV/AIDS need to take
because their mission was to kill good care of themselves. Eating a balanced diet is very good but it is not enough, they
people living with HIV/AIDS, but if need to take their medication at the appointed time. Getting a not infected viral load
she was willing to sacrifice me I result is not guarantee of cure; one needs to continue taking their medication.
would go with her and die with
Leaning on and trusting God is also very important because lifes challenges can be very
the knowledge that she is the one
overwhelming. Gods plans are amazing and well thought through. Gwokyalya, who
who killed me. She asked me not
introduced me to TASO was stronger than me at the time, unfortunately she passed on
to worry since she had, by then,
before ARVs had been introduced in Uganda. Her encouragement for me to join TASO
been with TASO for three years.
has opened many blessings in my life and I am grateful to God for it.
She told me that I would meet
many people at TASO who had The KEY RING is a monthly publication by the Kampala Baptist Church Media
been there for an even longer time. Team that seeks to provide an avenue where men and women can share
knowledge and understanding of the word of God, experiences and
After joining TASO, I started
encourage one another as the older perform the act of paralambano to the
coping with my situation. In 1998, I
younger.
was taught how to write an
Samuel with part of his family Our prayer is that the Lord will speak to you through this publication.

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