"Yes, it is possible to live with AIDS"

Sylvie,38, is a widow who lives in the Central African Republic, about three kilometers from the SOS Children's Village in Bangui.

Since the death of her husband, she lives alone with her four children. In 2001,only a few months after her late husband was buried, she began displaying symptoms of AIDS. But today, Sylvie feels well. She has accepted her situation and with the help of the SOS Family Strengthening Programme, learns to live a normal life.

Sylvie's story

"My husband died nearly four months after the birth of our fourth child. Some time after his death, my health started to deteriorate. The illness made me tired and weak. Nevertheless, I wanted to do my best for my children. But it was difficult because I had no money and nobody to help me.

I joined the SOS Family Strengthening when I was terminally ill. I was suffering a lot but I couldn't go to the hospital because I had no money. At home, the situation became unbearable and we spent days without eating. The FSP Cooridinator gave me a test and I was diagnosed with HIV after the results. They brought me to a doctor who wanted to evaluate the stage of the disease and see what treatment I needed.

I was shocked when I heard the news of my HIV status. I was scared and I was shaking all over. The first feeling I had was fear: Fear of this terrible disease, fear of death, fear of anxiety, fear of my parents, fear of my friends and fear of the whole society. There are so many prejudices and discriminations directed at people living with HIV/AIDS that it is better not to have it because if you do, you will be rejected from the whole community. I was so afraid that I thought of death all the time. I was sure that I would die very soon and I wondered how my children would cope.

Fear

After the feeling of fear came anger. I was angry with myself, angry with the disease and angry with the doctor who diagnosed my illness. I always wondered how I would live with AIDS. I did not know what AIDS was about; I did not know that it is possible to live with AIDS. All I knew was that it is a very dangerous disease that requires a lot of money for the medication; a disease which cannot be cured and which kills very easily and quickly. In my position, I had no money for the medication. So, it was very difficult to think that I could live with it. I was completely desperate. I cried all the time because I knew that my children would live a more difficult life than the one we were leading.

Hope from SOS Children

The doctor told me it was time to start HIV/AIDS medication and I received my first drugs thanks to SOS Children. Since that day, I receive drugs every month. Apart from me, my children also benefit because they receive free medical care. Their schooling is also taken care of through the payment of fees and supplies. All my children were reenrolled to school thanks to the support of SOS Children.

As regards food, twice a month I have receive food rations for SOS. The food that I receive is very important for the whole family. It allows my children to have a balanced diet and it plays a very important role in the antiretroviral therapy I have every day. You can't take medicine on an empty stomach so food comes first and then I take the drugs. The food provided by the programme allows the drugs not only to work at maximum effect, but also to strengthen my immune system. My situation is improving progressively. It is true that I still have the virus and AIDS is not cured but I feel less tired and less vulnerable than in 2001.

The Family Strengthening Programme promised me a little amount of money to start a generative income activity that will allow me to be financially self-sufficient. I would like to sell groundnuts and manioc as they are among the most consumed products here.

Yes! You can live with AIDS!

I finally accepted my situation and started living a normal life. Every day, I thank the Almighty God for having brought me to the SOS Family Strengthening Programme. I heard about SOS Children's Villages in 2003, two years after my husband's death. I did not know that they could also take care of people living outside the Villages. I thank God for the support I have already received and for what I am still receiving. I know that I would already be dead without the support of this programme. My daily prayer is that God gives long life to SOS Children's Villages, so that they widen their actions to all those who are in the same situation like me. I am so thankful to SOS Children's Villages, I owe you a lot".