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CHITUNGWIZA, Zimbabwe, Jul 29 (IPS) – In 2001, when Reki Jimu was 30 years outdated, his spouse died aged 27.
The now 51-year-old Jimu mentioned the couple’s two sons died prematurely. Each had been underweight and frail, though the couple had been beforehand blessed with a child woman, Religion Jimu, who’s now a 29-year-old mom of three.
Jimu was born in Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland Central Province in Mazowe Citrus Property, along with his rural dwelling situated within the province’s Mukumbura space in Chigawo village.
Two years after his spouse, Tendai Goba, died following a really lengthy sickness, which he mentioned eroded her weight, Jimu was examined for HIV and located to be optimistic.
“My spouse Tendai died in 2001, succumbing to AIDS, though then we had no proof she suffered from it. She had Kaposi’s sarcoma – a most cancers related to AIDS,” Jimu informed IPS.
His analysis didn’t dampen his zeal to reside – though he encountered numerous discouragement from family, pals, and colleagues.
“Once I began shedding pounds, folks mentioned I used to be being bewitched by my brother whom they claimed had goblins that had been sucking out my blood,” Jimu mentioned.
He mentioned the back-biting began when his spouse and two sons had been nonetheless alive.
“Some naysayers had been even blunt of their statements through the early days when my spouse was sick, on the time our sons had been alive. Folks mentioned my sons had been very skinny as a result of that they had AIDS. We’d hear this and by no means say something in return. However after all, our sons died prematurely as a result of they had been all underweight (however) earlier than we knew that they had HIV,” mentioned Jimu.
However thank God, mentioned Jimu, the couple’s daughter, who was born earlier than the couple contracted HIV/AIDS and has lived on with out the illness and is now a mum or dad.
But Jimu, whilst his first spouse kicked the bucket, has by no means given up on life.
Now residing in Chitungwiza, a city 25 kilometres southeast of Harare, the Zimbabwean capital, in 2003, quickly after testing optimistic for HIV, Jimu instantly began taking antiretroviral remedy, and that has stored him going for nearly twenty years.
In reality, for near twenty years, 51-year-old Jimu has lived with HIV/AIDS, sticking to his antiretroviral remedy with out fail.
Because of his perception in ARV remedy, now Jimu appears to be like like another wholesome individual.
“Look, I’m wanting good. No one can inform I’m HIV optimistic. No one may even inform I’m taking ARV medication except I inform them myself,” bragged Jimu.
He has soldiered on with life regardless of being HIV optimistic.
In 2007, Jimu grew to become the founder, chief and pastor of the Christian Fellowship Community Belief, a help group that he mentioned has turn into pivotal in supporting folks dwelling with HIV and AIDS in Chitungwiza.
He has not stopped embracing life, and thru the assistance of HIV/AIDS help teams, Jimu mentioned he married once more a yr after he had examined optimistic.
Francisca Thomson, his second spouse of the identical age as him, can be dwelling with HIV.
“Francisca is my queen, very stunning woman, I can inform you, and we’re so glad collectively,” boasted Jimu.
Jimu mentioned he, like another common individual, has turn into a beacon of hope to many dwelling with HIV.
He mentioned he grew to become open about his HVI/AIDS standing at a time when the general public loathed folks like him and when HIV/AIDS stigma was rife.
“I’m a type of individuals who used to look on nationwide tv on an HIV/AIDS advert clip wherein I used to be saying I didn’t cross the crimson visitors mild… I’m a pastor… I’m HIV optimistic, adverts of which had been sponsored by Inhabitants Providers Worldwide,” mentioned Jimu
Now a recognized fighter towards HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe, Jimu can’t maintain again his gratitude for the Chitungwiza Normal Hospital right here, which he mentioned made him what he’s today- an epic HIV/AIDS peer educator.
Zimbabwe has about 1,4 million folks dwelling with HIV/AIDS.
Dwelling with HIV has not compelled Jimu right into a cocoon.
As an alternative, he mentioned the situation has merely turned him into an ardent defender of many others.
“I’m now very lively in providing routine counselling companies and non secular steering to many who newly take a look at optimistic for HIV and seeing me with the optimistic mindset I’ve. Many are adjusting rapidly to their HIV-positive standing and transferring on with their lives,” mentioned Jimu.
But, for Jimu, it has not been simple getting the place he’s now.
He mentioned through the years, he has come head to head with stigma, saying many individuals round him had been disgusted at merely seeing him sick.
Jimu mentioned landlords rapidly evicted him after they heard of his standing.
“As a tenant on the many homes I’ve lived in, I’d be rapidly given notices to depart as a result of folks had been afraid to reside with me considering I’d simply someday get up lifeless of their properties or infect them with HIV. I’d hear folks gossiping about my illness, some saying I used to be now a transferring skeleton, some urging me to go to prophets for therapeutic, some saying I have to return to the village and die there,” mentioned Jimu.
Through the years, nevertheless, issues have gotten higher, with Jimu saying his family have begun to embrace him.
But, previously, he needed to take care of all of the sneering and discrimination from each kith and kin.
“Being loathed and discriminated towards had been the issues I’ve encountered in church, work and lots of different locations. At many gatherings we might attend with my late spouse, we might be made to take again seats as folks had been ashamed of getting us occupying the entrance seats, clearly ashamed of how we appeared due to the indicators of illness on us,” recalled Jimu.
However that’s now a factor of the previous.
As an increasing number of folks dwelling with HIV are starting to seek out it simpler to reside with the illness, Jimu has a message for them.
“I urge people who find themselves HIV optimistic to take their medicine throughout prescribed occasions with out defaulting even after they really feel they’re now wholesome and match,” he mentioned.
And he additionally carries an virtually comparable message for these getting ready to marriage.
“I urge {couples} to get examined for HIV earlier than participating in intercourse. If one is discovered optimistic, they are often assisted by well being specialists to reside wholesome lives with out infecting one another with the illness,” mentioned Jimu.
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© Inter Press Service (2022) — All Rights ReservedAuthentic supply: Inter Press Service
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