"AIDS IN AFRICA:  A Fight For Survival"

 42 years old; HIV positive since 1994; eleven children; last one born after her diagnosis; the baby is HIV begative.

Kabanda Syamlevwe

Chief of Service, Institute for Social Hygiene
 Education programs about STD for sex workers and others

FORTY TWO YEAR OLD BRIGITT SYAMALEVWE IS ON A MISSION.  SHE IS GIVING HER ALL TO HELP AS MANY PEOPLE AS SHE CAN, ESPECIALLY THE SMALLEST VICTIMS.  IN HER COUNTRY, IT’S ESTIMATED THAT TWENTY PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS.  BRIGITT IS ONE OF THEM. 

SO IS KABANDA, HER HUSBAND. THEY LEARNED THEY WERE HIV POSITIVE IN 1992.  IT HAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT THEM CLOSER AND MADE THEIR MARRIAGE STRONGER THAN EVER. 

Brigitt 
“The quality of life I’m living with my husband now is better.  Even if there was another chance for me to be infected so our relationship could grow, I would still go that way.”
 

BRIGITT AND KABANDA WERE THE FIRST COUPLE IN ZAMBIA TO ANNOUNCE PUBLICLY THEIR HIV POSITIVE STATUS.  LIFE HASN’T BEEN EASY.  WITH ELEVEN CHILDREN AND FIVE GRANDCHILDREN, THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES.  BUT THEY TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME, WORKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS INFECTED AND AFFECTED BY HIV/AIDS.

Brigitt
“This is a human issue and we’ve got to deal with it with all vigor because it happens to you and me.”

ZAMBIA’S AIDS EPIDEMICS IS ONE OF THE WORST IN THE WORLD.  THE NUMBERS INDICATE THAT APPROXIMATELY ONE IN FIVE ADULTS IS INFECTED. 

BRIGITT REMEMBERS KABANDA’S REACTION WHEN SHE SAID SHE WANTED TO BE TESTED. 

Brigitt 
“I told my husband I want to go and get tested and he was mad....  male ego....”

Kabanda 
“I must say that at the time when Brigitt went for a test, I wasn’t ready.  I had blocked whatever result that might come.” 

BRIGITT ADMITS THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME INFIDELITY IN THE PAST.    KABANDA QUESTIONED HER FAITHFULNESS AFTER LEARNING BRIGITT WAS PREGNANT TWO YEARS AGO, DESPITE HIS UNDERGOING A VASECTOMY.  THEY ARGUED ABOUT IT, BUT HE TOLD US THAT FINALLY DECIDED TO TRUST HER WORD THAT HE WAS THE FATHER.  BUT NOT BEFORE MAKING A JOKE TO US. 

Kabanda “I thought she was unfaithful.... where could the sperm come from?  We argued, she decided we should wait and see the outcome.  And naturally, you have seen the boy looks like....  the woman!!”

Brigitt
“This is my son Kimasha, which means God’s Wonder.” 

NATURALLY, BRIGITT WAS WORRIED THAT SHE MIGHT PASS THE VIRUS TO HER UNBORN CHILD.  SHE TOOK SEVERAL PRECAUTIONS TO REDUCE THE RISKS.  SHE ATE HEALTHY FOODS, TOOK A SHORT COURSE OF THE ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUG AZT, AND SHE OPTED FOR A CEASEREAN SECTION BIRTH.  AND DESPITE AFRICAN CUSTOM, SHE DID NOT BREAST FEED. 

Brigitt 
“And he was born negative...”

TODAY AT TWO YEARS OLD, G.T., AS THEY CALL KIMASHA, IS HIV NEGATIVE. 

BRIGITT IS A VOLUNTEER WITH THE UNITED NATIONS AND RECEIVES HEALTH CARE AND A SMALL STIPEND.   SHE DOES NOT TAKE THE ANTIRETROVIRAL DRUGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO HER BECAUSE SHE DOESNT WANT TO BECOME DEPENDENT ON SOMETHING SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD. 

FOR NOW, BRIGITT AND KABANDA REMAIN HEALTHY BY EATING EAT MOSTLY WHAT MOTHER NATURE PROVIDES.  THEY'RE HELPING OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATIONAS WELL AS ORPHANS IN THECOPPERBELT REGION OF THE COUNTRY. 

BRIGITT AND KABANDA'S GOAL IS TO LEAVE A LEGACY FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND FOR OTHER ZAMBIANS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS.