PRICILLA IMATI

Pricilla was diagnosed with HIV in 2005; she went through several sessions of counseling while being treated for infections. For many years Pricilla was not getting along with her only son who would not allow his children to share food or stay with their grandmother because she was HIV+ and he feared that she could infect the children.

At times it was very hard for Pricilla to pay her medical bills and to get food. The son was angry and accused her of causing the death of his father; he believed what his father told him about his mother being untrustworthy.

For many years Pricilla lived a life of loneliness and rejection with the stigma of sickness. When she joined the Vumilia HIV/AIDS support group, she found people who felt for her, were close to her, and checked on her when she was sick. They help by cooking for her and taking her to the hospital.

Mama Pricilla has shed a lot of tears for many years wanting the son to accept her and not separate her from her grandchildren. Vumilia continued to support her and continued to dialogue with the son to accept her.

Last year, in 2007, her son reconciled with his mother and asked her to forgive him. He’s now supporting Priscilla by paying for medical bills and buying food, and soon he plans to build her a house. Vumilia is reuniting families and educating the families on matters relating to HIV/AIDS.