Barbara Kemigisa's Brave world living with HIV/AIDS

Barbara Kemigisa is an HIV positive young girl who has come to tell her story with a view of cautioning other young girls. Kemigisa has a sad story of parental neglect, peer group pressure and social influence. Barbara did not live with her parents and was sexually abused from the age of 6 by her uncles. Not knowing what was being done to her, she thought that this was ok and did not know its negative impact until when she was eleven. The challenge here was the absence of parents or bad parents in this case the uncles who took advantage of her. The consequence is that she admits she got sexually addicted. Her real father having got another family did not care much about her and she says that the whole family, father, step mother, step sisters and step brothers did not care about her. She resorted to social groups and took to drinking, smoking and as she says sleeping around with numerous sexual partners. The challenge here was lack of parental guidance or parental neglect. The consequence was social outcast and risky behaviors. Barbara says she left home and went on the streets. Out of frustration and feeling of rejection, the calls of this were again parental rejection and the consequence was creation of a street child. Barbara says she stayed on the streets for about a month and thereafter she was taken to a church which attempted to rehabilitate her. She went back home but still felt the rejection when she started falling sick. She felt nobody cared. This forced her into trying to live on her own but continuing her risky sexual behaviors. The consequence was a pregnancy and later on discovering she was HIV positive. Barbara’s inner beauty and inner social nature come out when she learns she is HIV positive. Barbara tells all men who approach her that she was HIV positive. She did not want to infect them. The different boys who wanted to have sexual relations with her respected her for coming out to tell them her status. She is going through difficult times but she has the following message to young people and parents To parents: All children whether produced accidently or out of wedlock, are children and they have no fault. Please look after them and most importantly give them parental love. To young people: Peer pressure is the most dangerous thing in your life. Do not do things because others do them. Do not smoke because others are smoking. It is not fashionable to have sex simply because others are having it. If you must have sex, use protective methods. If you become HIV positive, be open about it, you are not alone. Barbara has a three and half year old beautiful girl. She needs support to pursue a career in communication.