I live life fully, this is not a rehearsal!

Q: What drives you?

A: The unconditional love of my children Peter, Joshua, Israel, Baraka and Gabriel and the women and all people living positively who refuse to give up. I look at them and I refuse to give up too even when my health and CD4 count says otherwise.

Given the stigma associated with HIV, where do you get all the strength?

I tested positive those many years ago and without knowing I became synonymous with the disease. I decided then that with the help of God I would change the message and perception people had of those that are infected.

It’s bad to have HIV but it’s even worse to let it take control of your life. Whatever stones of stigma and discrimination that have been thrown my way be it by family members, friends  or strangers, I made a decision that life is not a rehearsal and I have only one life to live and  I must live to the fullest. When my days are over, I’ll have no regrets. I live one day at a time and cross one bridge at a time.

What went through your mind when you tested positive?

HIV was then regarded a prostitute’s disease and since I was not one, I  had nothing to worry about. I was therefore really shocked when I tested positive. I wished I could have a one-on-one meeting with God because he must have taken leave to allow this to happen to me.

How did your parents react?

My family, from fear, shame and sheer ignorance stigmatised me and blamed me for whatever they were going through. But one thing I will never forget is when my sister packed my beddings and all clothes and I was left in a room to share with goats; and when I asked where I would sleep she said, ‘You need a bed for what? After all it’s only for six months. Or have you forgotten?’

However, there are those that are for me, those that are completely opposed to me and those who are not bothered at all – all in one family.

You tested positive while you were in school, how was it?

I was in a medical school and strange enough more than 25 years today, I still can narrate the events of that day. We were going to sit a continuous assessment test on muscle functions. After starting the exam someone came and whispered something to the tutor and they looked in my direction. I was ordered to head to the principal’s office.

I knew something was wrong [the students had taken an HIV test]. From that day, my name changed from Asunta to ‘Asunta with Aids’ and finally ‘Asunta wa Aids’.

It was the longest day of my life. I thought the sun would not set but it did. I thought the morning would not come but it still came. I was given six months but I didn’t die.

How did you  start educating people on HIV?

When I realised I was not dying and my grace period was over,  I sought to see other people with Aids – I had not seen anyone.

Later, I formed an organisation for women living with HIV and that is how KENWA was founded. Five women who were also stigmatised supported me with matatu fare and sometimes even food until we could sustain ourselves.

What’s your mission now? 

My mission is to make and leave mark in someone’s life.

You have lived with HIV for more than 20 years, what has been the hardest day of your life in the journey of living positively?

Every day is hard and normally you fake it. The worst  is when an organisation cancelled my one-year contract to educate their members because my health did not portray one who had Aids and convincing the audience that I was infected was difficult.

When you said you wanted to have a child in 1999, everyone who heard about it protested. How did that make you feel?

As I said earlier, I promised myself I would live my life to the fullest because it’s not a rehearsal. I missed a child and my house was getting lonelier each day and especially when Peter went to a boarding secondary school. I have five great handsome boys. I had to go for what I wanted not what people wanted. My four boys were recently given a clean bill of health.  Talk of wonders but it’s happening right in my house and to confirm the critics wrong I got twins.

Any more children after the twins?

Now that I have the house full and with arrival of the twins I will not go that direction again. I have enough. I am working hard to ensure they get good morals and good education.

I definitely would hate it for me to work this hard only for them to join the statistics of the highly educated and unemployed and worse, alcoholics.

What do you like and dislike about your husband? 

I like the fact that Richard can cook great meals and he is good with the kids.

What I don’t like is the fact that he can’t seem to find anything in the house without my help. Plus he tends to leave his socks everywhere.