Safe haven

In Zimbabwe there are over 1.6 million orphans. As of the year 2021, there was an estimated 550000 orphans who had lost their parents to HIV/AIDS related illness. Stigma and discrimination when it comes to HIV/AIDS is still present in Zimbabwe, often times this results in extended family members offering negligent care or neglecting these orphans altogether which leaves them to raise themselves in child-headed families.

Nomatter, a 13-year-old is the head of such a family, taking care of her 9-year-old sister Yeukai and Thomas an 8-year-old boy who was born HIV-positive. Thomas hears all the misinformed discriminatory remarks from society and this contributes to a lot of self-stigma. He receives the worst of it from those members of society who know of his HIV status.

This reminded me of my childhood.Growing up as an orphan who was born HIV positive, I was discriminated against, and the long-term impact was a lot of self-stigma and absolutely losing the will to live. This self-stigma involved feeling isolated; ashamed...