Kabwe, Zambia
Positive since 1999

I am a 44-year-old Zambian woman who was diagnosed with HIV in 1999. I’m a mother of two. One child was born after I became HIV positive. After surviving a period without medication, I told myself I had to live in order to see my children grow.

My job required me to look after those in conflict with the law. I chose to share my status to encourage prisoners and my fellow prison officers to learn about HIV.

What is your greatest achievement?
Seeing my child (who was only 7 years old when I was diagnosed) graduate from university

What is your greatest regret?
Not engaging in safer sex

What keeps you up at night?
Nothing. I sleep like a baby.

If you could change one thing about living with HIV, what would it be?
The discrimination

What is the best advice you ever received?
One senior officer told me to live life to my full potential because I was still the same officer.

What person in the HIV/AIDS community do you most admire?
Rose Lungu

What drives you to do what you do?
I want people to know that HIV is just a condition that can be managed.

What is your motto?
Live to see others live.

If you had to evacuate your house immediately, what is the one thing you would grab on the way out?
The portrait of my late mother

If you could be any animal, what would you be? And why?
A giraffe because it’s a very friendly animal