My name is Lilian from Kenya. I am 37 years old. As a young lady I always had the dream in life just like any other person to have a good education and start my family. I was diagnosed in the year 2007, and it's something that many people in society dread. The thought of it gave me jitters not knowing that one day I would be faced with the same predicament. The day I was informed about my HIV status, I was completely stressed and I didn't know whom to turn to. I went through the worst form of stigmatisation and almost committed suicide; I had to pick up the pieces and move on.
My advice to any woman out there is that HIV is not a death sentence. You can still live long. As long as you adhere to your medication you can still do whatever you want to do in life.
Why Lilian wants to be part of A Girl Like Me: The reason I wanted to be part of A Girl Like Me is to get encouraged and also encourage other ladies whose voices cannot be heard and are undergoing stigmatization, to let them know that they can live a normal life like any other person. HIV is not the end of everything.
