Last night on Kwanda, a South African community makeover TV show, volunteers in one of the teams encouraged community members to test for HIV. One of the volunteers also disclosed that she was HIV positive.

In view of this, the OneLove Regional web site team would like to provide further information about the benefits of knowing your HIV status, and telling people that you are HIV positive.

The benefits of knowing your HIV status

• Knowing your HIV status gives you the information you need to protect yourself and your loved ones. When you do not know your HIV status and do not use condoms when you have sex, you are at risk of getting HIV or giving it to your partner.
• Knowing your HIV status puts you in a position to take better care of yourself, by eating healthily and taking antiretroviral treatment when required.
• Once you know your status, you can meet other people who are also HIV positive through a support group. They will share their experiences, guide you and educate you about HIV and offer you moral support, so you do not feel alone.

Telling people that you are HIV positive

If you are HIV positive, it is your right not to tell anyone. But it may comfort you to tell someone you trust. For many people it is a big relief to talk about their status.

Many people are afraid to tell their friends and family members that they are HIV positive. They are concerned that:

• The people they love will turn away from them.
• Some people still have wrong ideas about HIV how HIV is spread and avoid them,thinking that they would easily pass the HIV to them.

However, people who are HIV positive need love and support from their families and friends. And telling them about your status gives your loved ones the chance to show you how much they love you and support you.

So how do you tell people that you are HIV positive?

1. Firstly, decide who you want to tell. Just because you decided to tell your sister does not mean that the whole family has to know right now. You can ask the person that you tell not to tell anyone else.
2. Think about what you want to say to the person you tell. And example of a way to tell someone is :” I had a blood test and they found out that I am HIV positive. I will have AIDS one day. I am so afraid!”

Joining a support group

If you are HIV positive and you find it hard to cope on your own, it may help to join a support group so you have people who you can share your concerns with.

An HIV support group is a group of people who meet to help each other. There are also support groups for HIV positive people who take antiretroviral medicines.

A support group will help you to:

• Find out more about HIV and how to cope with it.
• Share things that have happened to you with other people who may have had the same experiences.
• Get comfort from talking freely to other people who will keep your secrets safeLearn about healthy living.
• Take your medicines and other treatment properly.

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