2 posts tagged “jo'burg”

We rented a very cool ride for the trip down the Eastern Cape from Durban. In total we had eight pieces of luggage to squeeze. I needed many pairs of shoes for the road and we even brought our own printer and projector for events

We headed to Mthatha in the Transkei looking for the Itipini Clinic. "One more tiring event," I thought. I wanted to sleep in the sun, not work.

Right off one of Mthatha's big roads, a dirt path appeared leading us to some shacks. It was nice to see shacks because in Jo'burg and Durban we saw none. These shacks were not like the ones in Khayeltishia though. They were very rural, old, poor and rusted. It made my township and my shack seem like a luxury hotel.

Children with musical instruments appeared on the road and they were

playing music with herds of other children running to crowd our car. They were there to see me. The clinic had many colors,  cheerful people and friendly faces. They all sang and danced for me. I felt like a real star.

Usually I do the presentation with Joe, the producer. But we were in a  

Xhosa community, so I had to do it alone and in Xhosa, my native language. My audience was HIV positive, mothers, children, teenagers and grandmothers. The attention of an entire community was on my words, my story, my advice.

I was not an outcast here and the questions I was asked showed that. They were simple, about daily things -- from one HIV positive person to another. It made me feel human and real, not just like a good "story."  I also saw my privilege because of access to ARV's, good doctors and nice shacks.

HIV in the Itipini Community is taken as a way of life. It does not bring people down. It is not a sad place. It is a funplace that is about choosing life, not death.  

One woman asked how I maintain my figure because ARV's made her shapeless. Others said that they were going to get an HIV tests and have

their kids take tests after meeting me. There was a sense that ARVs scared many of them. And even with a Cd4 count of 64, one person said the fear was too strong. She preferred death to ARVs. After chatting for a bit, she said told me that she would go to the clinic the next day. Their stories were very different from mine, but the same, because we had HIV in common.

Some never thought they could have kids. We talked about Onwabo, my daugher and my experience with AZT and Nevarapine. They looked at me with bright eyes as if I were a doctor. Except that they could relate to me because I knew what it was like to have HIV.

The people were admiring and praising me, singing and dancing for me and it felt like one big celebration.  They were fighting over the postcards of the project and wanted to know every detail about my life.  They thought I had a lot of power. They told me to talk to the president about getting them jobs and grants. I had never imagined my story could make such a direct impact. That day I knew that people left my presentation with a new attitude toward their life. I felt new again. Like my presence had a message and just talking about this has the power to change lives.

SABC 2's Morning Live

I did not sleep much because at 6am all of South Africa would see me on Morning Live, one of the biggest daily news program on TV. My entire family in Khayelitshia woke up to watch. I was trembling with nerves, not able to eat the biscuits or drink the tea they offered at SABC. I was sure the make-up session would calm me and make me beautiful. Then I looked in the mirror and saw a mummy staring back at me. I was going to look ugly in front of the whole country! I wanted to run away.

I stayed, mummy face and all, and the host that I have watched on TV for many years was suddenly interviewing me! He asked about the project, about disclosing, about ARV's - the same questions but very very rushed. By now I have learned that television happens quickly.

When I was done,  one of the news hosts of SABC came over.  She told me about a friend that was in denial and wanted information about anti-retroviral drugs (ARV's). Actually she could not even pronounce ARVs.This surprised me because I thought I would be asking these big people questions, not the other way around.

SABC Journtalists and Producers

This talk was to producers and journalists of SABC radio. To be honest, I didn't feel that they would take my presentation seriously because they deal with news about AIDS everyday.

Talking about the making of Thembi's AIDS Diary  is different from other presentations. It is a more personal conversation about finding the strength to record the story. I was asked how I dealt with people's negative attitudes toward those of us living with the disease? I answered that negative talk gives me strength because it comes from ignorance. I said speaking out heals me because I am fighting this stigma and ignorance.

Some of these professional people began to cry. When I walked into that room, I felt smaller than them. But, having these  educated and "big" people ask me questions made me see that I am also as big as they are. Two of these women even told me that after hearing me that they were going to get HIV tests.

Constitution Hill

Constitution Hill is a symbolic place to South Africans. It is the site of Johannesburg's notorious Old Fort Prison, where thousands of innocent people were locked up and tortured during apartheid. Now, it is the home of the highest court in the land. As a South African woman it was a great honor to speak here.

The first presentation was to AIDS orphans who were bussed from Hillbrow. HIV positive adults from Gugulethu, a township in Cape Town where my father is from, also came.  Speaking to young people orphaned by AIDS gave me energy because they know better than anyone about stigma and discrimination. I tried to tell them that there are also positive sides to this. I hope that my words gave them hope.

The evening event was done outside under a beautiful tent. Justice Albie Sachs was funny and very moving as a host of the event. Standing again in front of so many people to talk about the diary, I saw that my story is not old news. It is more relevant than ever.
 
At one point an HIV positive ANC leader who had been exiled during apartheid said that living with the disease was a  greater challenge than exile and apartheid. I did not know how to respond.

Melikhaya also got a moment in the limelight. People asked him what it was like to be with the woman that infected him. He said that it was an honor.  This made the women go crazy. And, as we were driving away from the event a group of girls yelled, "Byeeee Melikhyaaaa." And oof, this made me jealous. But it made me happy that I have such a cute boyfriend.