My name is Noluvo Alicia Joya. I’m 28 years old and I am not married nor do I have any children. I’m the last born in a family consisting of four children. I am from Cape Town, South Africa.

I was diagnosed HIV positive in February 2001 when I got sick. At the time I was just finishing my diploma in commercial education. I had tuberculosis and my critical indicators were very poor. While I was on treatment for tuberculosis, I had cytomegalovirus and my left eye was blind. I also had deep vein thrombosis and was unable to walk.

The first people in my family to know my status were my brother and sister. Both of them were very supportive of me until I was ready to disclose my status to my mother. After telling my mother, my whole family knew about my status and they took me to each and every appointment that I had at the clinic.

In October 2001, I started anti-retroviral therapy and my treatment assistant, the person who helps you adhere to your treatment, is my mother. Now it has been nearly three years since I started treatment and my health is good. I’m working at the Medécins San Frontiéres Muleni Clinic as an HIV/AIDS peer educator.

Having HIV has changed my life completely. I know how to take care of myself. I know how to stand up for what I believe. I used to drink and have unprotected sex but now I know how to say no. I’m a very shy person, but due to having HIV, I can stand in front of many people and offer HIV education. Having HIV has given me friends, not bad ones but the sort of friends that I can count on when I need them most.

I’m not ashamed of being HIV positive, because I believe God gives you sickness for a reason. He gave it to me so that I could teach and educate the young ones not to fall into the trap that I fell into. For those who are already HIV positive, my role is to let them know that there is a good, long life after testing positive. I have conquered AIDS; all that is left is HIV.

To those who are infected, I would like to say HIV is controllable and you can live your life to the fullest. To those who are affected, be supportive, do not discriminate or be judgemental because HIV affects us all. The only thing that we can do is stand up and fight this virus together and I’m certain we can conquer it.

Noluvo