straight talk, february 2006

8/14/2019 Straight Talk, February 2006

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Ca n y o u s e ew i t h y o u r e y e st h a t sh e h a s

HIV?

I w a s b o r n

w i t h H I V

PO Box 22366, Kamp ala.Straight Talk,

Wo r d s o fw i s d o m

ww

w.s

traight-talk.or.ug

Vol.13No.2

February2006

She told our studen t journa lists: I was bornwith HIV. I tested positive in S2. At first I hate dand stigmatized myself. Most of the time Iwou ld sit away from my friends and cry. I feltvery useless. I was angry and a nnoyed. But thecounseling I got from CDC and TASO changedmy life.

I am now o n ARVs and d oing well. My adviceto fellow youth is: Avoid self-stigma . Feel freeand get counselling from TASO o r a nea rbyhea lth ce ntre. Learn m ore from Proscoviaon Page 2.

This yearStraight Talkis comingto you in person ! In 2006 ou reditors are putting togetherevery issue of the new spaperwith a Straight Talk club up-country .

This Straight Talk was written bystudents in Tororo. We foundthem attending activities at theFPAU youth center. Thanks, FPAU,for welcoming us.

These students learnt a lot byworking as journalists for StraightTalk. They walked around townand interviewed other

It is a new year. So Post Officeneeds you to pay for your PO

Box. Rush now. A schoolwithout a PO Box does not

easily get Straight Talk.

adolescents. They also answeredDear Syfa questions.

Do you belong to a Straight Talkclub in or out-of-school?Would you like to be a journalistfor a day? Write to Journalist for a

Day, Straight Talk,PO Box 22366, Kamp ala.Students design page one.

"My opinion is...":Student edit ors at work.

Headteachers!Renew you r

PO Box

Headteachers!Renew you r

PO Box

I w a s b o r nw i t h H I V

Proscovia is 17 a n d ha s ju st com pleted 'O' levels. She isbea u ti fu l a n d strong.

Proscovia is 17 a n d ha s ju st com pleted 'O' levels. She isbea u ti fu l a n d strong.

Ca n y o u s e ew i t h y o u r e y e st h a t s h e h a s

HIV?

He saw a man blind from birth.His disciples asked Him,"Jesus, who sinned, this manor his parents, that he wouldbe born blind? Jesusanswered, neither that theman nor his parents; but itwas so that the works of God

might be displayed in him.John 9:1-3

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E N G L I S H P R O G R A M M E S

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T

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J ourn alists for a d ayJ ourn alists for a day


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Straight Talk, February 20062

By Brian Pade a nd CaroAthieno"My mother died when I was 13.I was the one in the hospital

washing her and taking care of

her. She didnt tell me tha t shehad HIV. I foun d o ut from m y

dad. She died when I was doingP7 in 2000. In those days we did

not have ARVs.

My brother died when he was 8

in 2001 and my sister died whenshe was 6 in 2002.

I was also born with the virus

but I lived without falling sick

until I reached S2. I got very sick.I had TB and malaria. I was

coughing seriously.

Boys started calling m e"sick girl". I took it sim ple

but reported t o a teacher.She talked to them, andthey stopped.

The day I went to test, my CD4

count was just 84. I was verythin, weighing only 32 kgs. Theystarted me on TB treatment.

After one month I started on

ARVs. That was 2004. I began

Ta l k a b o u t i t !

Pr oscovia s st or yProscovia s st or y

Proscovia shows hermedicines. You have t o t akeARVs exact ly as t he doctorsays. You need to tr y tonever miss a dose.

feeling better right away. I got no

bad side effects. I started gainingweight. I am now approaching 60

kgs. I finally got my periods in

2005 when I was over 16.

I take three tablets twice a day. MyCD4 count increased slowly by

slowly. It is now 504.I have told five people that I am

HIV positive. They are close tome. If I am absent, they cop y

notes for me.

Before, when I was very sick, they

would say: Prossie, what?! So I

told them that I am HIV positiveand they should pray for me.

They said: Dont be worried.

I am talking now to Straight Talk

to help others in my situation.

At TASO we have a club of nine

adolescents on ARVs. We bringour experiences and advise each

other.

Boys come to me. I tell them I amnot ready for a relationship. But

we still chat.

I am not planning to get married.

I do no t want to infect anyone. IfI get a job, Ill just stay with that."

Asking questions: journalists for a day Caro and Brianinter view Proscovia. Caro is in S6 at Kithende SS, Wakiso.

Brian has just completed S6 at Kiira College, Jinja.

In some couples one partner hasHIV, while the o ther do es no t. This

is called discordance. How does

this happen?

Think about a bag of white beanswith a few red beans in it,

rep resen ting HIV.

When you put your hand in, you

might pull out just white beans. Soon that act of sex, you did no t get

the virus, but you could have.

But the next time you put your hand

in the bag, you pick a red bean. Soon that act of sex, you got HIV.

If your partner has a high viral load

of HIV or one of you has an STD,there will be more red beans in the

bag. You will have mo re cha nce ofgetting infecte d. You can no t tell

someone with a high HIV load or

STDs by just looking at them

Unless they stop sex or usecondoms for every act of sex,

sooner or later the negative personin a discordant couple gets

infected.

Getting HIV is chance. Do not

gamble with it.

Proscovia was brave t o tel l

her story. Let us learn fromit. Discuss in a Straight Talk

or any o ther club:

Why do people g ive

n icknames to peop le whothey th ink have HIV?

What can you do to s top i t

f rom happen ing? How can you he lp

classmat es w ith HIV? What do you th ink abou t

Prossie's decision never tom a r r y ?

Le t 's g e t m e d i c a l !

Tuberculosis (TB)

This is the main infection thatattacks the immune systemwhen HIV has weakened you.If you test p ositive for HIV, ge tchecked right away for TB.You can ha ve it withou tknowing. Treatment is free, and

TB is curable.

Septr in

Taken twice daily, this antibioticredu ces sickness due to HIV.

You ge t less ma laria, diarrho eaand skin or chest infections. Ithelps your CD4 count not to

fall. Everyone with HIV needs totalk to their counselor aboutSeptrin.

CD4 count

CD4 cells are the white blood cellstargeted by the HIV. A hea lthyperson has a CD4 count of 500-1000. When the CD4 count fallsbelow 200, a person with HIVneeds ARVs.

Prossies CD4 count rose from just84 to 504 after 2 years on ARVs.

ARVs (Antiretrovirals)

ARVs are the only medicines thatstop HIV from reproducing. About9% of people with HIV in Ugandaneed ARVs.

ARVs are not a cure: you can stillinfect others. And you need totake ARVs for life. When you stop,the HIV starts to multiply again.

A CD4 cell with HIVs (seen as s mallblue dots ) att ached to it . The HIVswill eventually destroy the cell.

You d o n ot p icka red bean : no

infect ion .

You a re m ore likelyto p ick a red bean(get HIV) if on e ofyou has an STD oryour par tn er hasa high viral load.

You d o pick a redbean. Now youare infected . Thiscan happen onyour first act ofsex.

HIVis

chance

Proscovia passed her 'O' levelexams. Straight Talk Foundation/ Mvu le Trust w ill pay for her 'A' Level education.

HIVis

chance


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Straight Talk, February 20064

Publisher: STRAIGHT TALK FOUNDATION45 Bukoto St., Kamwokya, P. O. Box 22366, Tel: 0312-262030, 0312-262031 041-

530088 Kampala (U), Fax: 041-534858, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], Web: www.straight-talk.or.ug Communications Director: Cathy Watson ,,,,,

Programme Director:Anne Akia Fiedler, Editors: Teopist a Agut u, Bett yKagoro,Edith Kimuli, Gilbert Awekofua. Designers: MeBK, G.bM, Funded by

DANIDA, DFID, Ireland Aid, and SIDA Printer: Vision Printing

P.O.Box22366

KAM PALA

Dear

SYFAP.O.Box22366

KAM PALA

My boyfriend promised to marryme. He ha s finishedhis studies but I amstill studying. Healways asks me forsex w hich I do notwan t at this t ime.W ill this boycont inue to be mylover?A Nabakooza, 17,S3, Kagadi

Academ y, Kibaale

He is actually not yourboyfriend because hedoes not respect thecompletion of yourstudies. Insist on yourdecision to wait. Patiencepays to those who wait.Anita, remember. Goodmen love ladies whostick to wise decisions.So do not be afraid ofbeing dumped.He may not keep hispromise to marry you ifyou give into sex. Answerby M Malengerera, S Osere

My boyfriend an d Iagreed to delay sex butrecently he tried torape m e. I fought himand he ran aw ay inshame. Later he wroteto apologise. He said hehad been overcome byemotions. We have beenapart for four months. I still have feelings forhim. But I feel he couldbe violent again.Dorcus, 14, NyakyeraSS , Ntungamo

Please Dorcus, at 14 you

are still too young tohave a boyfriend. Lookahead of you. There is abright future after youreducation.He is not the right personfor you since he cannotrespect your feelings andambitions and alsocannot control his sexualdesire. Answer by F Armani

I have a girlfriend. Weusual ly have protectedsex . The last t ime w emet she told me that she is pregnant yet sheis in S6. W hat can I do

because I dont wantmy p arents to knowabout it .Charles , KawempeMus l im

Now Charles, accept thefact that this happenedand, like you said, youactually seem to beresponsible for it.We advise you to involveyour parents since youfeel you cannot handlethis matter alone. Or youcan involve your closestrelatives. If this does notwork, consult acounselor or healthworker for help. Answer by

Vincent, Mark, Roney and Banda.

Straight Talk adds:Charles, this is whathappens if you use acondom only usually (most times). Condomgive little or no protectionunless you use it always(all the time) not usually.

I love my boy likenothing on earth. We

used to stay together inthe same district butnow w e s tay very far and m eet only once in awh i le . When w e meet , hedemands for sex . W hen I refuse, he tells me th at Ive lost respect for him.He neve r used to te ll mesuch. Please advisebecause I am w orried of loosing him.Agnes, Zika FoundationSchool, Kibaale

Agnes, first understandwhat true love is. Truelove means waiting,

patience and beinggenuine. If this is lackingin your relationship, it isnot good enough. Pleasetalk to your boyfriendwhen he is in a goodmood.Ask him if the relationship

is for sex or for marriage.If it is for marriage, thenhe waits. If it is for sex,then you put an end to it.

Answer by Vincent, Mark, Roney

and Banda.

I am an S 6 vacist and avirgin. Friends say thatat the university I mustget a girl to fit in. Theysay campus girls are sosharp and p ut on out f i t sthat even the impotent can ha rdly resist .Advise me in time.Tom, S oroti

Thanks, Tom. Despite thepressure, fitting in oncampus does not meanyou should have a girl.Have educational friendswho can help you to stay

safe by delaying sex oralways using a condom.The outfits girls put onshould not scare you.Have self-control and

Areyou inaStraightTalkorany club?Ifyes, do thefollowing a

sa clubactivity. If

not, take it asyour ownassignment.

Talkwith a friendabout theroleofmoneyandthings inyourlif

e. Is it right tohavea

relationship formoney and things?When aremoney and thing

s good in a

relationship?When do they cause problems?

Based on thosequest ions, priv ately w rit e tous

answ ering these questions:Have you everhada

relationship formoney and th ings? What

happened? What did youget?

OR:Haveyouever offered thingsor money to get

a relationship?Whatdid yougive?Didyouget

what you wanted? Tellus the storyofyour

relationship.Your letters will go into araffle for

prizes. Wait andsee!WritetoSTMoneyQuiz,

POBox22366, Kampala

QUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZQUIZ

healthy decisions in yourmind.Answer by V incent, Mark,

Roney and Banda.

W hen a girl startsmenstruat ing and

misses a month does it mean that she ispregnant? If not, what isthe cause?R Nakasan ye, 14,Nakaseke 2000A c a d e my

It is normal to haveperiods then stop,especially for a beginner.However, if you miss yourperiods and had earlierhad unprotected sex,then it is possible that oneis pregnant. Visit a healthcentre for peace of mind.

Answer by B Pade, Ramaz an N, C

Kutosi, C Athieno, Peter M, all S6vacists.

All these Dear SYFA quest ions were answeredby t he Tororo FPAU youth group (in pic tur e),

who were Straight TalkJournalist s for a Dayfor t his issue of Straight Talk. You can also be

a Journalist for a Day. Writ e toP.O. Box 22366, Kampala.

Kachaina Anita ,Rwentobo HS,

N t u n g a m o

Mubiru Isa, ChairmanST Club, Buzibw era

SS, Luweero

Iw u m b w e J o e l,

Headboy, Lw am ataCentral Academ y,Kiboga

Munankone Jafal i , STc lub mem ber,

Kangulumo SS,Busembat ia

Educat ion and sayingNo to sex is ourpriority, ST club

members , LwangosiaSS, Bugiri

Straight Talk Foundationthanks the Journalistsfor a Day in Tororo forthese great answers.

straight talk, february 2006

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