CITY OF TSHWANE LIGHTS CANDLES FOR PEOPLE WHO DIED TO HIV AND CELEBRATES LIVES OF PLWH

Melisa Bajilla         mellisabajilla@gmail.com

The City of Tshwane hosted a Candlelight event at Falala Hall Soshanguve Block G, where they celebrated the lives of people which were lost and also celebrating lives of people who are still living with the virus.

It is not only people from Soshanguve and church members that care and support people with the virus but also organizations around Pretoria attended the event, the likes of Sechaba Research Centre (SRC), Soshanguve Youth Support Group, Afrika Entle Research Centre and US AID.

Living with the virus has become a norm; people are now able to stand in front of a crowd while HIV positive. Vandile  Ngwenya, who is part of People  Living with HIV (PLWH), will be celebrating 14 years living with the virus and she says she was depressed when she went and tested then to find out that she had been infected with the virus. The same day she tested was the same day she accepted that it was not the end of her life and started taking her treatment and she says courage is what made her live this long. She is now a motivational speaker who is able to help advise and educate people with or without the virus.

HIV does not kill; it is all about how one takes care of herself and accepts the situation. There are PLWH who have more than 20 years living with the virus and are yet to live longer.

Lindiwe who is a part of the Youth support of Soshanguve outlined more problems that they are facing which include:

·  HIV  & AIDS

·      Teenage Pregnancy

·         Bluetooth Nyaope -which can also lead to the transmission  of HIV

·         Blessers

She concluded by advising the youth mostly to abstain, be responsible and use contraceptives because there has not been a solution or medication on how to cure HIV

Posted 6 days ago by JournExpress