Thandiwe Tshaka, 35, Botshabelo
Thandiwe Tshaka works with HTS, testing, and counseling. She has been on ARV's for 12 years and is passionate about helping other people to live healthy and happy lives as HIV-positive people. “For anyone that has just found out they are HIV positive, just stay strong, believe in yourself, don’t stigmatize yourself. Just tell yourself that you will beat this beast and you can live a long time.” Tandiwe has been living on ARVs since February 2009 when she was pregnant with her twins. She was six months pregnant at that time. Both of the children were born negative.
She has been on ARVs for over 12 years and she says that nothing is different with her life. She has no side effects apart from when she was taking efavirenz. She would get a severe headache so the doctor changed her on to dolutegravir. She says that she hasn’t gained any weight since changing to DTG.
Tandiwe says that her life is no different from that of negative people. She only needs to take a pill every day. And taking the pill is taking charge of her life. She is living a healthy life, eating the right food.
Tandiwe sometimes helps with HTS (testing and counseling). She says that she encounters a lot of people who are worried about the COVID vaccine. Many people didn’t want to get the jab but she encouraged them to, using herself as an example.
In terms of her support structures, she says that her friends and family have been very important to her. Other people are afraid of their families and hide their status, and don’t want to be seen to be going to the clinic. She is now on the CCMDD system to collect her pills in another location which makes it a lot easier.
Thandiwe Tshaka works with HTS, testing, and counseling. She has been on ARV's for 12 years and is passionate about helping other people to live healthy and happy lives as HIV-positive people. i
Thandiwe Tshaka, 35, Botshabelo
Tandiwe has been living on ARVs since February 2009 when she was pregnant with her twins. She was six months pregnant at that time. Both of the children were born negative.
She has been on ARVs for over 12 years and she says that nothing is different with her life. She has no side effects apart from when she was taking efavirenz. She would get a severe headache so the doctor changed her on to dolutegravir. She says that she hasn’t gained any weight since changing to DTG.
“For anyone that has just found out they are HIV positive, just stay strong, believe in yourself, don’t stigmatise yourself. Just tell yourself that you will beat this beast and you can live a long time.”
Tandiwe says that her life is no different from that of negative people. She only needs to take a pill every day. And taking the pill is taking charge of her life. She is living a healthy life, eating the right food.
“I tell them mum has got the virus but it doesn’t mean that mum is dying. Mum is going to live for a long time.”
Tandiwe sometimes helps with HTS (testing and counseling). She says that she encounters a lot of people who are worried about the COVID vaccine. Many people didn’t want to get the jab but she encouraged them to, using herself as an example.
In terms of her support structures, she says that her friends and family have been very important to her. Other people are afraid of their families and hide their status, and don’t want to be seen to be going to the clinic. She is now on the CCMDD system to collect her pills in another location which makes it a lot easier.
“Most people they stigmatise themselves. They say – I am positive. This is the end of my life. The end of my career. But life goes on. They can live for many years with HIV. “
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