A lot of books, pamphlets, newsletters among others have been written by medical experts but very few have been written by people living with HIV and AIDS.
Like I always say the story of HIV and AIDS will never be complete if only told by medical experts. We also need to hear the story from those living with HIV. The reason why only a few people are willing to disclose their positive statuses publicly is the stigma, discrimination, fear and shame associated with being HIV positive.
Those who have been following my articles will realise that I never quote from any “scholarly literature” the reason being that I am writing from my own personal experiences and observations as a person living with HIV. I have also noticed that soccer stars ,ace pilots, race drivers, snipers and other such people are not made from the people who manufacture aero planes, guns , soccer etc but are most times just ordinary people and some uneducated all but possess God given talents in their chosen fields and this therefore doesn’t mean that those of us living with HIV have nothing to offer in the HIV/AIDS value chain.
When I started writing about HIV around 2004 after I had disclosed my status in 2003 “experts” working with Concern WorldWide then, rubbished my articles as lacking in research and therefore not worth publishing or sending them anywhere for further scrutiny. I was very disappointed with their attitude but I never stopped writing because I was convinced I was doing the right thing.
In 2013 I took one of my articles to Herald House in Harare and was thrown from office to office until I got to the editor of The Sunday Mail’s then Indepth column Levi Mukarati who read my bunch of handwritten articles and chose one which he promised to publish the following Sunday. Come next Sunday morning I bought the Sunday Mail newspaper of September 9 and rushed to the Indepth column and sure enough my article was there with the heading “Behavior Change key to winning the war against HIV/AIDS”. I went back to Levi to ask for a permanent column but he referred me to Kwayedza where he said I could get a permanent column. At Kwaedza I met a beautiful young light complexioned lady who politely told me that the HIV/AIDS column had already been taken by someone so there was no space there at the moment. I was to meet that same young lady some 11 years later at a media workshop organised by NAC and my wife and I were coming there as as people living with HIV to give the media our own side of the HIV story.
After failing to secure a column in the Sunday Mail and Kwayedza I went to Kwekwe where I was given a permanent column in the Midlands Observer where I wrote under the heading “Living with HIV made Simple” I also secured a column in the Times of Gweru and the now defunct Zimta magazine TVZ. I would hand write my articles and send them by bus to Kwekwe and Gweru from Gokwe/Manoti and for over 2 years everything went very well until a time when I decided to send a month’s supply of handwritten articles which all got lost along the way and I was devastated and from that time I never had the strength to write again until much later. I resumed my article writing in 2024 after some editors at the NAC organized media workshop showed interest in my work and because of the convenience of Whatsapp and email I accepted and have been writing non stop ever since. While at the media workshop in Chinhoyi I met the young light complexioned lady who had attended to me at Kwayedza and she was the first to remember the man with a bunch of handwritten articles some 11 years back.
I later on decided to write a book documenting my life with HIV in 2020 which book I completed in 2021 but failed to have it published due to financial challenges. Prof Paul Mavhima who was guest of honour and fellow compatriot from Gokwe heard my situation and offered to help fund the publishing of my book “The Extra Time” in March 2024.
The reason why I chose the title “The Extra Time” was because I felt that I had been given bonus time by God to do his work which I believe I am doing most sincerely. After publishing my book. I informed NAC, my benefector for a very long time and they offered to fund my Book Launch which they did on 11 December 2025 at the Provincial World AIDS Day commemorations held at Gwenungu Pry School in Gokwe South District. The book launch was done in grand style with the Resident Minister as guest of honor, other dignitaries, government departments, media houses, entertainment led by Sabhuku Vharazipi among others, and local people were fully represented. This recent book launch made me feel very much honoured and I want to express my most sincere gratitude to National AIDs Council staff from District, Province to National level who have been so patient with me ever since they learnt of my HIV activism. Special mention goes to Tadiwa Nyatanga, Mr Shumba, Mr Chiwara and Mr Machakata all from NAC who worked so hard to make the book launch a resounding success.
I also want to thank media people such as Levi Mukarati Star FM, Lot Nkomo Midlands Observer, Jari Jari New Ziana, Nkulumani Mlambo of The Midweek Watch, Anna Miti SpotFM, Edmore Mpengesi NationaFM, Rodney Ruwende ZBC, Mangena, Guy Maunidzo all ZBC past and present among others who accepted and continue to help me on my writing journey.
Those wishing to get their own copies of The Extra Time can contact me on my number.
Piason Maringwa.
+263774322043
