Source: Aliru Kadijha and her daughter Lyne Amaniyo in Arua Regional Referral Hospital in 2002 (left) and at her Graduation in June 2023 (right)
In 2002, 44-year-old Aliru Kadijha was raped and infected with HIV/AIDS when she was 22 years old. She was first tricked by a friend to her now late husband who over dozed her with alcohol. The accused bought for her bottles of beer making sure to make her drunk beyond consciousness. He then took her to a guest house and raped her while knowing his own HIV positive status. She conceived and got infected with HIV/AIDS. The accused boldly made her know that he had infected her and could as well be pregnant which left her stressed. This coupled with her disability status left her traumatised and stigmatised. How ever she did not believe it so much until during her first ANC visit when she visited ARUA Regional Referral Hospital where she was tested for pregnancy and HIV that unfortunately both turned Positive. On receiving the result, the victim fainted four times before her husband came to take her home.
It was such a cold morning when now 44-year-old Aliru Kadijha woke up and realised that she had been raped. She was 22 years old in her vacation after Senior Six (Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education, UACE). That fateful day, Aliru Kadijha had gone out with her husband who later went home and delayed to return. A friend to her now late husband came and tricked her to go and see one of her own friends in Rippons Hotel in Arua City. The perpetrator bought for her bottles of beer making sure to make her drunk beyond consciousness. He then took her to a guest house and raped her while knowing his own HIV positive status. The perpetrator boldly made her to know that he had infected her with HIV/AIDS and he also assured her that she could as well be pregnant. This coupled with her disability status left her traumatised. How ever she did not believe it so much until during her first ANC visit when she visited ARUA Regional Referral Hospital (ARRH) where she was tested for pregnancy and HIV that unfortunately both turned Positive. On receiving the result, the victim Aliru Kadijha fainted four times before her husband was called to come and take her home.
With the support of Late Sr. Yiti Grace who was a midwife in ARRH who kept on counselling her, she eventually learned to cope with her situation. Late Sr. Yiti Grace was a very empathetic midwife who gave full support to mothers living with HIV/AIDS and encouraged them to build a team together and support each other in different ways including doing business together. With her support, many mothers were able to live through with the stigma.
There were no ARVs (Antiretroviral drugs) in Uganda by then. Luckily enough when she gave birth in 2002, MSF (Medecins Sans Frontieres) had just brought a programme of Prevention of mother to Child Transmission (PMCTC) in Arua and she was among the Pioneer mothers to give birth to HIV negative babies. In that period, many mothers and children died since the programme was just at a trial phase.
However, despite the ARVs treatment that MSF brought, there was still poor uptake of the services due to stigma because people did not want to be associated with HIV/AIDS by then.
In the same year of 2002, a PMCTC care group was formed by women living with HIV/AIDS. This group had an agenda of giving Health Education and creating awareness in the Community on HIV/AIDS through Drama. The Drama skits emphasised the need for routine testing and counselling services and need to start ARVs and take them promptly when tested positive. They also educated the community on the possibility of surviving and having a healthy living once you take your drugs promptly. This group also made the community aware of the fact that living and sharing together with people having HIV/AIDS does no harm and does not cause any transmission to those without the infection. Through the Dramas, the community was encouraged to avoid stigmatising people living with HIV/AIDS but rather leave harmoniously with them and give them support.
In 2003, Aliru Kadijha had to relocate to a new residence due to stigma. She reported that one time, a woman living in her community shouted that “you woman with HIV/AIDS, get out of here”. This left her so traumatised and she cried for days whenever that voice could re-echo in her head.
In 2004, MSF started giving support to such organised vulnerable groups. PMTCT benefited among these groups. Other groups included; ADMACA (Arua District Male Community living with HIV/AIDS), NCWOLA (National Community of Women Living with AIDS) and United Muslims Against HIV/AIDS (UMAH). Most of these groups got dissolved due to poor management and leadership except PMTCT support group.
In the same year 2004, MSF started supporting mothers who had completed Uganda Certificate of education (UCE), Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) and other Certificate and Diploma courses. Mothers having the above qualifications were employed by MSF. For Aliru Kadijha, she was employed as a Data Clerk Volunteer since she dad done Computer training and had UACE certificate. She worked for four months after which she was given full time employment as a language interpreter.
In 2005, an American Doctor working with MSF began supporting PMTCT care group by looking for market for their hand-made crafts such as napkins. She would get them and take them to be sold in UK and US. However, the mothers in this group never trusted the returns she would bring to them after selling their crafts since it was too meagre.
In 2006, Aliru Kadijha used her savings to do a certificate in counselling that earned her an employment as a HIV/AIDS counsellor at ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) clinic. She worked and saved money and enrolled for Diploma in counselling in 2009.
In 2013, her contract with MSF ended and she kept on using her savings for doing small scale business since she was a single mother because her husband was not giving her any support.
In 2016, during the influx of South Sudanese Refugees in Uganda, she got a six months contract as a volunteer with Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Palorinya Refugee Settlement.
In 2017, she got a new opportunity as a counsellor in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement with International Rescue Committee (IRC) where she worked up to 2020.
When her contract with IRC ended in 2020, she decided to join Politics in Arua City. With the adequate leadership and management skills that she gathered throughout her time of working with various organisations, she was successfully elected as the Counsellor for Persons with Disability (PWDs) in Arua City.
She chose the path of Politics because of her passion and undying need to help and support PWDs in her community by being their voice. She currently serves her community in that position.
She hopes to one day start an Initiative to support people living with HIV/AIDS and PWDs so that they live a better and sustainable life in line with achievement and fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Amidst all these challenges, she has raised her only now 21-year-old daughter Amaniyo Lyne and educated her single handedly without hiding her own situation from the daughter. Her daughter has always wanted to become a midwife so that she can be able to save the lives of more mothers and children like the Late Sr. Grace Yiti saved her and her mother Aliru Kadijha. With determination and perseverance, her mother was able to push her through all the hardships until she graduated in June last year (2023) with an award of Certificate in Midwifery. She hopes to work and upgrade until she becomes a Gynaecologist and open a Maternity Home to save the lives of mothers and babies.
Right now, the two are both working hard to see that they both fulfil their dreams of supporting their community though her daughter, Amaniyo Lyne is yet looking for an employment to help her achieve her dream.
Source:
Personal story
Access URL link here: https://6929fdf2-675b-44e7-bc2c-413b48229538.usrfiles.com/ugd/6929fd_b14b768c82734252b842a0a4e62835f7.pdf
Access full PDF here:
Comentarios