The Reality of AIDS in Africa

The following is a writing for a school project from a 7th grade girl in Swaziland, Africa. It is a touching story, from a little girl who knows the impact of AIDS.

The fact is, 2 out of 3 people in the world that have AIDS, live in Africa. Many of them are children, and this little girl is sadly a victim of the dreadful disease that is killing thousands of Africans every day.

Here is her story:

HIV is a virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a dangerous disease that can affect
everyone. This disease is a fatal disease but can be controlled.

AIDS affects black people and white people. It affects poor
or rich people, fat or thin people. It affects you whether you are a
Christian, Swazi, Zulu, Xhosas, Hindus, Rastafarians, Muslim, Mozambican,
Sothos or Tswana.

AIDS affects me as well my auntie, who was working in
Matsapha Spinex Factory. She was a likable woman and honest. She use to
help poor children in the community by paying their school fees, buying food
and clothes for them. Everyone in the community use to respect her.

She was the person who was looking after my grandfather and
my grandmother the most. My father looked after my grandfather and
grandmother but not as much as my auntie. My uncle did look after them but
not all the time, like my auntie use to. She was the most important person
to my grandparents.

She use to have more than one boyfriend and she did not use
to use a condom when she was having sex with her boyfriends. On nights she
use to leave home with her boyfriends to big hotels which are too expensive.
On weekends she use to visit one of her boyfriends.

One day she became sick and just got sicker and sicker. She
did not know what was making her to be sick. She visited the clinic many
times but she became sicker and sicker. Than my grandparents sent her to a
traditional doctor. He gave her some medicine and said she must find a boy
who will cut her with a razor blade and put the medicine in her. They chose
me as the boy. I did it but I did not like it. She became better for a week
but then her sickness returned and I became sick as well. Her and I visited
the health center for check- up. We found that we were both HIV positive.
They counseled us and they gave us some tablets and I take them even today.

When I heard that I was positive, I was afraid. I was
thinking that I was going to die, I cried and cried. But they told me that I
would not die. After that my auntie became sick and got sicker again and she
died. But me I am healthy and I am alive and life goes on.

So AIDS kills. It kills our parents, grandparents, aunties,
uncles, sisters and brothers. But life still goes on.