>The close family members had struggled in vain to grab part of the land left behind by her husband, which now is occupied by healthy banana plantation.

She was neglected and had to struggle to feed her three children. As time goes by she was weakened and could not afford to go and work in other peoples garden to erk a living to sustain them in their house.

“At times we could go without food. My children could go back to school after drinking only water since there was totally nothing to offer as lunch or supper,” she says.

The purchase of her medication has befallen squarely on the heads of the organisation members that has even ensued that she took nutritious meals.

She has been on drugs but says doctors had restrained her from using Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) until spots spread all over her body dried up citing development of complications if she uses ARVs with the spots still on the body.

“My life up to this hour from the time I was diagnosed is because of an organisation of widows having Aids, without them my story would never be told while still alive,” she says.

A member of the organisation who heard the gossip in the market traced her home in a bid to bring her on board.

“I really felt for h

Herine Awino (not her real name) has a vibrant, cheerful spirit and comforting smile that invites friends and strangers alike into an easy prolonged conversation. She also has HIV Aids. In addition, unlike most HIV-positive women in Nyando district, Nyanza province, Aoko wants people to know her status.

“Have been really waiting for you. Waited yesterday until late and decided to attend a burial of a grand mother nearby. It is good you have come, welcome. First of all let us pray,” she says once we were inside her one bed roomed house.

Her husband succumbed to death in 1990 to a disease not diagnosed but the 45 years old woman strongly believe her husband was never down with HIV Aids.

“My husband died as a result of other diseases, not Aids, by then no body had dreamt of the disease in this area,” she says.

Blessed with six children with whom one, the last born now 15 years of age was sired with a close relative who had walked into her house immediately after burial of her husband in their Kadianga village as part of the Luo customary law to cleanse her.

Three of her children died subsequently almost seven years later leaving her with three others aged 15,18 and 21.

She took only two years with the inheritor who she threw away from her house accusing him of indulging into sex with other four women whom he had inherited just like in her case. The man a close family relative will always spent most of his time drinking and battered her on his arrival demanding food and other necessities.

“It was painful for me to spend in the cold with children after this man chased us away from the house not his. I took the courage and told him off,” she says.

Awino later learnt that the man died in Siaya district where he had gone to cleanse other women whose husbands had passed away.

Determined still to have a partner, another in law walked into the life of Awino and they stayed four years before she shown him the door after following the foot steps of the former inheritor.

She called it off and never shared a room with another man. What followed after difficult times in the hands of her in laws was sickness to be confirmed for the second time at a Voluntary Counselling and Testing at a hospital in Kericho Rift Valley province nearly 100 kilometres a way.

A woman who was mesmerised by wild thoughts after getting the first result of her status at Nyabondo mission hospital now says a local organisation of people living with HIV-Aids has totally changed her life.

Aoko feared the worst, but could not bring herself to face the possibility that she might be infected with HIV-Aids. After more than two weeks in bed, with no energy to move, Aoko visited Nyabondo mission hospital in the company of her in law.

“I was hoping that the diagnosis would reveal something – anything – other than Aids, but the results were positive. I thought I would die immediately,” she says. “I was terrified for my children. I am poor. My relatives are poor too. No one can afford four extra mouths to feed. I thought how my little ones would be left to wander in the villages.”

She thanks God for the courage and now works closely with the local organisation to educate other people about AIDS since the education would not only reduce infections in the region, but also help build a strong network for people living with HIV and AIDS.

“I vividly still remember it was in 2005 when I walked to the hospital and was in a room with another nurse who tested my blood. She verified twice and told me that I am HIV positive,” she says.

“I left the hospital with a shattered dream, my in law who was waiting for me outside noticed the husky mood I was in and got curious, nagging me to disclose what the nurses had found,” she added.

Awino recounts with nostalgia how her close family relatives disowned her after announcing her status to her in law who later spread it like a bush fire to the neighbouring homesteads and even beyond.

“Is it a crime to have this disease, I think it is just like other disease and for sure it is attacking human beings,” she consoled her self.

Her status become the gossip in the village, her family relatives disowned her and her children were not allowed to play with other children in the neighbourhood for fear of contracting the deadly disease.

“There were times when I was abandoned and alone because even my closest friends and family turned away from me. I tell my story to help others, because I remember a time when there was no help for me,” she says.

She did not disclose her status to her children but the younger child kept on nagging her why people in the neighbourhood were talking ill about their family and whether it was true she had HIV Aids as widely known in the village.

“At times my last born would pose to me a question whether I have Aids as people say but I always tell him that don’t worry what people says about me and our family,” she says amid sobs.

The close family members had struggled in vain to grab part of the land left behind by her husband, which now is occupied by healthy banana plantation.

She was neglected and had to struggle to feed her three children. As time goes by she was weakened and could not afford to go and work in other peoples garden to erk a living to sustain them in their house.

“At times we could go without food. My children could go back to school after drinking only water since there was totally nothing to offer as lunch or supper,” she says.

The purchase of her medication has befallen squarely on the heads of the organisation members that has even ensued that she took nutritious meals.

She has been on drugs but says doctors had restrained her from using Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) until spots spread all over her body dried up citing development of complications if she uses ARVs with the spots still on the body.

“My life up to this hour from the time I was diagnosed is because of an organisation of widows having Aids, without them my story would never be told while still alive,” she says.

A member of the organisation who heard the gossip in the market traced her home in a bid to bring her on board.

“I really felt for he

r who she threw away from her house accusing him of indulging into sex with other four women whom he had inherited just like in her case. The man a close family relative will always spent most of his time drinking and battered her on his arrival demanding food and other necessities.

“It was painful for me to spend in the cold with children after this man chased us away from the house not his. I took the courage and told him off,” she says.

Awino later learnt that the man died in Siaya district where he had gone to cleanse other women whose husbands had passed away.

Determined still to have a partner, another in law walked into the life of Awino and they stayed four years before she shown him the door after following the foot steps of the former inheritor.

She called it off and never shared a room with another man. What followed after difficult times in the hands of her in laws was sickness to be confirmed for the second time at a Voluntary Counselling and Testing at a hospital in Kericho Rift Valley province nearly 100 kilometres a way.

A woman who was mesmerised by wild thoughts after getting the first result of her status at Nyabondo mission hospital now says a local organisation of people living with HIV-Aids has totally changed her life.

Aoko feared the worst, but could not bring herself to face the possibility that she might be infected with HIV-Aids. After more than two weeks in bed, with no energy to move, Aoko visited Nyabondo mission hospital in the company of her in law.

“I was hoping that the diagnosis would reveal something – anything – other than Aids, but the results were positive. I thought I would die immediately,” she says. “I was terrified for my children. I am poor. My relatives are poor too. No one can afford four extra mouths to feed. I thought how my little ones would be left to wander in the villages.”

She thanks God for the courage and now works closely with the local organisation to educate other people about AIDS since the education would not only reduce infections in the region, but also help build a strong network for people living with HIV and AIDS.

“I vividly still remember it was in 2005 when I walked to the hospital and was in a room with another nurse who tested my blood. She verified twice and told me that I am HIV positive,” she says.

“I left the hospital with a shattered dream, my in law who was waiting for me outside noticed the husky mood I was in and got curious, nagging me to disclose what the nurses had found,” she added.

Awino recounts with nostalgia how her close family relatives disowned her after announcing her status to her in law who later spread it like a bush fire to the neighbouring homesteads and even beyond.

“Is it a crime to have this disease, I think it is just like other disease and for sure it is attacking human beings,” she consoled her self.

Her status become the gossip in the village, her family relatives disowned her and her children were not allowed to play with other children in the neighbourhood for fear of contracting the deadly disease.

“There were times when I was abandoned and alone because even my closest friends and family turned away from me. I tell my story to help others, because I remember a time when there was no help for me,” she says.

She did not disclose her status to her children but the younger child kept on nagging her why people in the neighbourhood were talking ill about their family and whether it was true she had HIV Aids as widely known in the village.

“At times my last born would pose to me a question whether I have Aids as people say but I always tell him that don’t worry what people says about me and our family,” she says amid sobs.

The close family members had struggled in vain to grab part of the land left behind by her husband, which now is occupied by healthy banana plantation.

She was neglected and had to struggle to feed her three children. As time goes by she was weakened and could not afford to go and work in other peoples garden to erk a living to sustain them in their house.

“At times we could go without food. My children could go back to school after drinking only water since there was totally nothing to offer as lunch or supper,” she says.

The purchase of her medication has befallen squarely on the heads of the organisation members that has even ensued that she took nutritious meals.

She has been on drugs but says doctors had restrained her from using Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) until spots spread all over her body dried up citing development of complications if she uses ARVs with the spots still on the body.

“My life up to this hour from the time I was diagnosed is because of an organisation of widows having Aids, without them my story would never be told while still alive,” she says.

A member of the organisation who heard the gossip in the market traced her home in a bid to bring her on board.

“I really felt for h

as totally changed her life.

Aoko feared the worst, but could not bring herself to face the possibility that she might be infected with HIV-Aids. After more than two weeks in bed, with no energy to move, Aoko visited Nyabondo mission hospital in the company of her in law.

“I was hoping that the diagnosis would reveal something – anything – other than Aids, but the results were positive. I thought I would die immediately,” she says. “I was terrified for my children. I am poor. My relatives are poor too. No one can afford four extra mouths to feed. I thought how my little ones would be left to wander in the villages.”

She thanks God for the courage and now works closely with the local organisation to educate other people about AIDS since the education would not only reduce infections in the region, but also help build a strong network for people living with HIV and AIDS.

“I vividly still remember it was in 2005 when I walked to the hospital and was in a room with another nurse who tested my blood. She verified twice and told me that I am HIV positive,” she says.

“I left the hospital with a shattered dream, my in law who was waiting for me outside noticed the husky mood I was in and got curious, nagging me to disclose what the nurses had found,” she added.

Awino recounts with nostalgia how her close family relatives disowned her after announcing her status to her in law who later spread it like a bush fire to the neighbouring homesteads and even beyond.

“Is it a crime to have this disease, I think it is just like other disease and for sure it is attacking human beings,” she consoled her self.

Her status become the gossip in the village, her family relatives disowned her and her children were not allowed to play with other children in the neighbourhood for fear of contracting the deadly disease.

“There were times when I was abandoned and alone because even my closest friends and family turned away from me. I tell my story to help others, because I remember a time when there was no help for me,” she says.

She did not disclose her status to her children but the younger child kept on nagging her why people in the neighbourhood were talking ill about their family and whether it was true she had HIV Aids as widely known in the village.

“At times my last born would pose to me a question whether I have Aids as people say but I always tell him that don’t worry what people says about me and our family,” she says amid sobs.

The close family members had struggled in vain to grab part of the land left behind by her husband, which now is occupied by healthy banana plantation.

She was neglected and had to struggle to feed her three children. As time goes by she was weakened and could not afford to go and work in other peoples garden to erk a living to sustain them in their house.

“At times we could go without food. My children could go back to school after drinking only water since there was totally nothing to offer as lunch or supper,” she says.

The purchase of her medication has befallen squarely on the heads of the organisation members that has even ensued that she took nutritious meals.

She has been on drugs but says doctors had restrained her from using Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) until spots spread all over her body dried up citing development of complications if she uses ARVs with the spots still on the body.

“My life up to this hour from the time I was diagnosed is because of an organisation of widows having Aids, without them my story would never be told while still alive,” she says.

A member of the organisation who heard the gossip in the market traced her home in a bid to bring her on board.

“I really felt for h

se what the nurses had found,” she added.

Awino recounts with nostalgia how her close family relatives disowned her after announcing her status to her in law who later spread it like a bush fire to the neighbouring homesteads and even beyond.

“Is it a crime to have this disease, I think it is just like other disease and for sure it is attacking human beings,” she consoled her self.

Her status become the gossip in the village, her family relatives disowned her and her children were not allowed to play with other children in the neighbourhood for fear of contracting the deadly disease.

“There were times when I was abandoned and alone because even my closest friends and family turned away from me. I tell my story to help others, because I remember a time when there was no help for me,” she says.

She did not disclose her status to her children but the younger child kept on nagging her why people in the neighbourhood were talking ill about their family and whether it was true she had HIV Aids as widely known in the village.

“At times my last born would pose to me a question whether I have Aids as people say but I always tell him that don’t worry what people says about me and our family,” she says amid sobs.

The close family members had struggled in vain to grab part of the land left behind by her husband, which now is occupied by healthy banana plantation.

She was neglected and had to struggle to feed her three children. As time goes by she was weakened and could not afford to go and work in other peoples garden to erk a living to sustain them in their house.

“At times we could go without food. My children could go back to school after drinking only water since there was totally nothing to offer as lunch or supper,” she says.

The purchase of her medication has befallen squarely on the heads of the organisation members that has even ensued that she took nutritious meals.

She has been on drugs but says doctors had restrained her from using Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) until spots spread all over her body dried up citing development of complications if she uses ARVs with the spots still on the body.

“My life up to this hour from the time I was diagnosed is because of an organisation of widows having Aids, without them my story would never be told while still alive,” she says.

A member of the organisation who heard the gossip in the market traced her home in a bid to bring her on board.

“I really felt for h

>The close family members had struggled in vain to grab part of the land left behind by her husband, which now is occupied by healthy banana plantation.

She was neglected and had to struggle to feed her three children. As time goes by she was weakened and could not afford to go and work in other peoples garden to erk a living to sustain them in their house.

“At times we could go without food. My children could go back to school after drinking only water since there was totally nothing to offer as lunch or supper,” she says.

The purchase of her medication has befallen squarely on the heads of the organisation members that has even ensued that she took nutritious meals.

She has been on drugs but says doctors had restrained her from using Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) until spots spread all over her body dried up citing development of complications if she uses ARVs with the spots still on the body.

“My life up to this hour from the time I was diagnosed is because of an organisation of widows having Aids, without them my story would never be told while still alive,” she says.

A member of the organisation who heard the gossip in the market traced her home in a bid to bring her on board.

“I really felt for her situation because I also went through the same. I ventured into a journey to bring her on board to our organisation. She has picked up well and the stigma and discrimination is soon fading,” says Joyce Okal a 39-year-old woman.

Okal whose husband died over five years ago says her family members burnt down her house in protest after she declined to be inherited by one of her in laws.

“After burying my husband almost two months later my dad died and I went home in Bondo district but when I came back to settle and face life without my husband and my dad another tragedy struck, I found my house burnt down with everything,” she says.

She has defied all odds of mistreatment and has continued to soldier on with her life and those of her three children.

Ends.