Thendeka Mantshi discovered that she was HIV-positive when her baby was diagnosed at birth. She was a witness in a court case in which Treatment Access Campaign challenged the pharmacutical companies.

“It is very painful for me to see my child suffering from the same illness like mine, and I think that if the MTCT (mother to child transmission) prevention programme had been implemented my baby wouldn’t be HIV-positive. It pains me to see people suffering, and some die because they can’t afford treatment. Most people who are living with AIDS are unemployed. We can’t even buy something to eat, so how can we pay for expensive treatments?” from Thendeka’s affadavit.

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Pumla Dladla discovered that she was HIV-positive in 1997 when her child was diagnosed with the disease. She receives antiretroviral drugs from a treatment programme run by Medecins Sans Frontiers.

“In May 2000 I was very sick—coughing, loosing weight, no appetite. They took my blood and found that my CD4 count was 129. Last year they came with this programme of antiretrovirals. At that point my CD4 count was 9. When I started the antiretrovirals my viral load was 1,110,000, but after three months it was undetectable. Now my CD4 count has increased from 9 to 92 and my weight is 114kgs. I wish that all people with HIV could have this same treatment if they need it. When I had my child I did not know I was HIV-positive. It was in the Eastern Cape and I had seen no AIDS education. If I had known I would have wanted to take the drug Nevirapine, which can stop the virus passing to the child. I would have done anything to have saved my child.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Anonymous (bike) discovered that she was HIV-positive in 2001 when she attended a maternity clinic and was offered an HIV test as part of their mother to child transmission (MTCT) prevention programme.

“When I was tested, I was offered Nevirapine. They told me when I am in pain for the labour, that I must drink the pill. After I had the baby in the hospital, they gave some to the baby as well. Last month, I heard that my baby is HIV-negative. I was relieved because I did not want her to have the same disease that I have. I love my baby a lot. She is a lovely baby. She is active and laughs and talks a lot. I would like her to have an enjoyable life. The government is doing the wrong thing. They must prevent children from getting HIV because a child has done nothing wrong. I want all women who have the same problem as me to have the opportunity that I had. As mothers we must hang together. I want to show a bicycle because my girl will now have the opportunity to play and have all the fun of childhood.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Anonymous (hands).

“I cannot talk in public or show my face because my neighbours and family don’t know. My husband died from AIDS and I am HIV-positive, but I am afraid of my husband’s family. They might chase me out of my house if they found out. For my kids, I am everything. I have to be their mother and father, their friend, uncle and aunt. If my status was known, it could cause a big problem for them. Other kids might avoid playing with them and teachers might look down on them. People who see this might think I am sick and ill-looking but that is not true. I am well and I have a good job. Some people say that I am beautiful. I am putting my hands in the frame to show that they are the hands of a healthy and normal woman. My wish is that the virus spares me for many years to come, so I can take care of my children until they are grown up and can take care of themselves.”

Maputo, Mozambique

Anonymous (baby) discovered that she is HIV-positive while she was pregnant, during routine testing that was offered to pregnant mothers at a local health clinic. She chose to show her baby in the picture who had just tested negative.

“I am really struggling because I used to get formula feed from the clinic, but now that my baby is nine months old they don’t give it anymore. When I have no formula milk, the child has to eat flour porridge. Even though it would cost much less money now, I will never give any breast milk to my child as I don’t want to poison him with HIV. I want to show my baby because he has just tested HIV-negative and I was very happy to hear the news. Sometimes I feel sad that I will die first and who will look after my baby? I would like to get proper treatment for my disease and I would like to have a job to earn a living so that I can support my baby. I want my baby to be the best, to go to school, to learn, to have the opportunities that I never had. For that he needs to start his life healthy.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Nomandla Yako discovered that she was HIV-positive in 1999 when her child, Thamsanqua, became very ill.

“People in the community around here know my status and they know my child is positive as well, but we have no problems. Most of my neighbours are helpful. My child has now been on antiretroviral drugs for a few weeks and he seems to be responding well. The drugs are not having a toxic effect. He is taking 3TC, Nevirapene and AZT. I want to make sure that he can live as long a life as possible. I often think about my child’s future. I blame myself for transmitting the disease to him, although it was not my aim. It makes me feel I committed a sin. I feel guilty, but at the same time I blame the government for not providing a proper mother to child prevention programme for our people.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Anonymous (covering face) is a university student at Maputo University. Due to the extreme stigma associated with his status, he chose to not include any of his clothes in the photograph in case they might identify him.

“I can’t be identified because it may have a bad impact on my position as a university student. I can’t even allow you to say what my faculty is. Here in Mozambique there is discrimination promoted by the government. If my faculty discover my status, there is a real possibility that they will discriminate against me. Even if they don’t expel me straight away, they will try all sorts of devious means to get rid of me.”

Maputo, Mozambique

Anonymous (medication) discovered that she was HIV-positive in 1997 when her first child became ill and died from AIDS. She receives the antiretroviral drugs that keep her healthy from a treatment programme run by Medecins Sans Frontiers. She chose to show the daily medication container, which helps her to take her drugs.

“In July last year I started on antiretrovirals. Then I weighed 73kg; now I am 93.5kg. My skin problem has gone. I find it easy to take the drugs, which takes a few minutes every day. I had some side effects: nausea, vomiting and a rash on my face. But now all the side effects are gone and I feel strong and just like a normal person. I choose to show my medication because that is what helps me. I wish everybody in South Africa would come and test for HIV and if they test positive they should get the right medication. I am surprised the President says that these drugs are toxic. I cannot agree because they have given me life. I would like everybody with the disease to have the same access to treatment that I have had.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Lwazi Pento Nontyi discovered that he was HIV-positive in 2001.

“The HIV virus taught me a lesson. I became infected because I was a womaniser. I had plenty of girlfriends and I never practised safe sex. Because of the virus, I stopped smoking, taking drugs and womanising. It is shocking to find that most youth do not treat AIDS as being as dangerous as other issues, such as crime and violence. The youth are aware of the epidemic but they still hesitate to take safety precautions. HIV and AIDS is real. I am living proof. AIDS is no longer a disease. It is a war. Now is the time for us to fight it. I feel disappointed by the ANC government’s response to AIDS. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison so that each and every South African can have equal opportunities. This is why I joined the Treatment Action Campaign – to force the ANC to live up to its promise.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Phumza Nomnkonko discovered that she was HIV-positive in 1999.

“I have been living with HIV for two years. At first I was alone. I did not know if there were other people living with it as well. Many times if you hear that you are HIV-positive, you think you are about to die. I have been on the antiretroviral programme with Medicins Sans Frontieres since June 2001. They are working so well for me. My CD4 count was 16, and after six months it was 82. Now only the minimum of people in South Africa who need antiretrovirals have them. I want the maximum. Everybody should have access, and that is the battle we are fighting in TAC. We all need a second chance because we are living.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa

Ncapai Thobani discovered that he was HIV-positive in 1997 after a long series of illnesses.

“From last year I was able to get the antiretroviral drugs here at MSF in Khayelitsha, as my CD4 count was 174. I was very ill, and my viral load was 240,000. They gave me AZT, 3TC, Combivir and Nevirapine. Since then I have felt better than for many years. After three months my viral load was undetectable. I have just been told today my CD4 count is 371. I want to show my fists in the photograph because I want to show that I am feeling strong. I have a small stall selling fruit and vegetables. I often think that a year ago I could not speak or stand or wash myself. It is good to feel alive and earn some money, which I use to support my son in Transkei. Now I feel like everybody else. I am not thinking all the time about HIV. I do not bury my dreams.”

Khayelitsha Squatter Community, near Cape Town, South Africa