Masalila Takes Up Fight Against Stigma

ISAAC PINIELO
Correspondent | Monday March 1, 2010 00:00

The daring 38-year-old mother of five tested HIV positive ten years ago when she was only 28 years old and for her, this was a crucial turning point in her life. She said contracting the virus has given her a chance to retract her steps on life - from a reckless life of endless partying and drinking - to a life of positive living and HIV/AIDS activism.

When The Monitor visited her at her house in Monarch location, she told of her commitment in tackling the daunting challenges faced in the battle against HIV/AIDS as well as striving to shake the foundations of the stigma that societal stereotypes have placed on people living with HIV over the years.

She said although huge strides have been made over the past years, people living with HIV are still being stigmatized for being infected with the virus, one of the greatest afflictions ever to strike human kind.

'We might lose ground as some people still stigmatise those that live with HIV,' she said.

According to Masalila, people should start appreciating that the viral illness - which can lead to Aids - is no longer as problematic as it was when it first came to Botswana around 1985. She said these days a person diagnosed with HIV can expect to live longer, into their 70s if they live a proper life.

She is one of the many HIV-positive patients who are receiving free medication from government and therapeutic regimens designed to prolong the lifespan of patients and improve their quality of life.

As an HIV/AIDS volunteer and chairperson of the Monarch Ward Multi Sectoral Aids Committee (WMSAC), Masalila vowed that she would not rest until she has eliminated the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS.

'For us to confidently say that we are winning in the fight against this scourge, we have to firstly win in fighting stigma. There is no way we can hope to win this fight without first fighting the stigma,' she said matter-of-factly.

She indicated that because of the stigma, some people have resorted to skipping their ARV medication while others have abandoned their treatment altogether. She said people tend to be not free to talk about their HIV status to the people they live with fearing that they will be stigmatised.

'This in most cases leads to them hiding their ARV drugs and failing to take them properly,' she commented worriedly.

Reminiscing about her past, Masalila attains a solemn pose as she puts in words the reckless kind of life she used to live.  By her own admission, she said there was a time in her life that she used to be very wild, leading a life that was characterized by endless partying and heavy drinking.

'I would run around with older men who promised me the moon and the stars,' she said with a grimace.

After testing HIV-positive, she said she then decided to pause and introspect on her life. By then she was not working, so she decided to do some volunteering work at the District Multi Sectoral Aids Committee(DMSAC). It was through her commitment that she has managed to advance to the position of committee ward chairperson.

Her family, a husband and five children - Lebogang, 22, Thato, 16, Mmoloki, 12, Kagiso, 4 and Elisabeth aged 2 - all live at Monarch under one roof. She disclosed that her husband is also HIV positive and that he has been very helpful in her endeavour to go public about her status.

It was also not easy for her to reveal her status to her children. Now that she has been open, they have accepted her and they too are very supportive. 'My third child, Mmoloki has received two certificates from YOHO for participating in stage drama performances based on HIV/AIDS and my second-born, Thato has joined Pledge25, a programme whereby one donates blood 25 times in one year,' she enthused.

She said: 'People should stop judging us because of our status and see the real person inside us. They should appreciate that we are just human beings trying to live life to the fullest just like anyone else'.

To remain healthy, Masalila said she mostly eats traditional food which comprises mostly lebelebele, phaletshe and mabele (sorghum meal, maize meal and millet) and she makes sure that there are vegetables in her every meal. She has a small garden in her backyard where she grows ledelele - a traditional green vegetable plant, which is also a supplement to her meal. She spends most of her time at the Monarch WMSAC where she and other volunteers help people living with HIV. They also sew blankets and plant trees.