In the last 2 articles I dwelt on my life with HIV from the time I began suspecting that I had HIV up the time I became so reckless until I was fired from my lovely job at the Department of Taxes in Gweru and became a destitute thereafter.
Destitution came after I had squandered the little I had been paid by my employer on dismissal. I was thrown out of my lodgings and none of my friends wanted nothing to do with me. I later went to my rural home in Gokwe where I stayed for some time until I got fed up with rural life and decided to go to Mutare to start life afresh.
I arrived in Mutare on the eve of my nephew’s transfer to Nyanga where he had been transferred to, to be manager. The following morning we drove to Nyanga where I was very lucky to get a temporary teaching job in rural Katerere during my first month in Nyanga. I taught as a temporary teacher in Nyanga and Honde Valley from September 1988 to December 1990 during which time I managed to get married and buy a small house in Mutare. I also got a place to train as a teacher at Mutare Teachers’ College in 1991.
A lot of people limit themselves from improving their lives after testing positive. There is a lot of life after testing positive and everyone should strive to improve themselves in their chosen fields. At Mutare Teachers’ College I came face to face with HIV/AIDs as student after student succumbed to its ravages.
We would watch helplessly as some of our colleagues suffered slow and very excruciatingly painful deaths .The college bus would take students sometimes to visit very sick fellow students at local hospitals and to bury their deceased colleagues.
Personally I got so engrossed in my studies that for the duration of my studies at Mutare Teachers’ College I had forgotten that I had once suspected that I was HIV positive. My health had greatly improved and a boy child had been born in March 1991 so I was filled with lots of good things to worry about HIV at a personal level.
In 1994 having graduated from college I was deployed to go and teach at Buhera High school in Buhera District. It was good teaching and staying with my new family there. Old habits die hard I and some of my teacher friends soon became regular patrons at local drinking joints all over Buhera District and as is usual with most guzzlers we would from time to do mischief with ladies of the night oblivious of the dangers we exposed to ourselves and our families. I am still not sure where exactly I got my HIV but definitely it was from some of my escapades with loose ladies of the night.
I taught at Buhera High and in 1999 January I decide it was time to go and teach at schools in Gokwe my rural home. January 1999 I began the term at Mkoka Secondary school my village school. As I was beginning to enjoy teaching at my home school I became seriously ill with what at first appeared to be malaria but became life threatening and soon I was admitted at St Luke’s hospital near Lupane where I was diagnosed with TB and later tested HIV positive. I was treated for TB and was soon back home and work .
I am very grateful to God and all those who have supported me throughout my life journey with HIV spanning nearly 4 decades. I am now retired from my teaching job and enjoying life at our rural home in Gokwe.
I celebrated my first birthday after retirement and it was a time to reflect on my past and plan for the future. We are very lucky to have been rewarded with 5 grandchildren from our 2 children .We look forward to very fulfilling life ahead as we do advocacy work wherever we are called to assist especially as we approach World AIDS Day on 1 December.
I have written many articles in several newspapers where I am a columnist I have also spoken on radio, TV and have addressed the media at workshops organised by National Aids Council. I have also published a book The Extra Time which has been reviewed on several platforms .My article next week shall be a chapter from my book. Those wishing to buy my book @$10 cash or $11 Ecocash, WhatsApp, video or WhatsApp call me on my number below
Piason Maringwa
+263774322043
