Issue: Positive-Negative: Coping Strategies and Life Choices of Sero-Defferent Couples

1. Issue:Positive-Negative: Coping Strategies and Life Choices of Sero-Defferent Couples Title: Living happily in HIV/AIDS Discordance By: Nkoba Kanyiginya Eva National Guidance & Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NGEN+), Uganda

2. Subject: • I lost my mother to AIDS when I was twelve years of age; • A few years later my father followed my mother; • As if this was a curse for the family, my brother, his wife and his only son died; and • Soon my uncle who was the only one left to fend for us also took the same journey plus the two of his young daughters and wife.

3. The journey after my beloved ones having passed away: • Wondering why I was born; • Waiting for my turn; and • Fear of my extinction.

4. First event: • Getting mixed up as a result of having no shelter and no body to guide me; • Getting pregnant with my first son without HIV counselling and testing; and • Getting pregnant with my second son but still no HIV counselling and testing.

5. The fear factors: • Questions about my HIV status; • Questions as to whether I should test or not; and • Anxiety and bewilderment.

6. Meeting my mentor: • The man comes to our place of work for HIV/AIDS sensitisation; • He tells us everything about his HIV status; and • Though elderly, he looked strong and happy.

7. Results: • New questions about HIV/AIDS; • The desire to know more; and • He appears like the only one that could understand me.

8. Lessons learnt: • Knowledge can create a new journey; • The new pregnancy after 13 years; • The new life in HIV discordant life; and • The happiness that comes due to the power of knowledge, despite HIV discordant life, when we meet a right friend.

9. Recommendation: • The world should focus on the “Test, Educate and Treat” (TEAT) as a new strategy of halting further spread of HIV.

10. I Thank you