VOICES OF WOMEN FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

The writer Leila Sheikh (in black) is a Senior Journalist; producer of documentaries and Social Justice Defender

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Voices of Women for Social Justice

                                              Leila Sheikh

1.   After her second baby was born Eileen was advised by her doctor to undergo Voluntary Counselling and Testing for HIV (VCT).  She did and was found to be HIV positive.  When she gave the results of the test to her husband, he hit her and hurt her badly and she was taken to hospital for treatment where they refused to treat her without a Police Form (PF3).

 At the Police Station she showed them the results of her HIV test and the two Police Officers told her “You are lucky he did not kill you”.

 By then E was contemplating suicide.  It was her sister’s friend who knew a woman who knew an activist for PLHIV (People Living with HIV/AIDS) Rights, who arranged a meeting between E and the activist.

The activist counselled E. She advised her to move out of the marital home to avoid the spousal violence and introduced her to the Post Test club in Mbagala where people who have undergone Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) and are found to have HIV, are given counselling and psychosocial support.

E is now an activist for the Rights of women who are living with HIV/AIDS.

She says the support and counselling she received helped to save her life and she wants to continue counselling and advocating for the safety of PLHIV women.

2.     Vivian-“I found out I have hearing disabilities when I was five years of age.  I was extremely lucky to have loving parents and a loving and supportive family.  I was sent to ordinary schools, not special schools for the deaf.  When I was growing up, there were no sign language teachers.  I used to sit in front of the classroom and study the teachers’ lips and learnt.  I learnt to read facial expressions, gestures, the Alphabet and postures.