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Positive Outcomes: HIV and Me
How I Became an AIDS Activist
Shelley’s story
After my diagnosis I became very depressed. Just taking care of my self was a full time job and I wasn’t doing a very good job of that. That changed when I met Helen. She told me about her upcoming trip to Africa. She was going to see if there was some way she could help alleviate the AIDS epidemic. A few months later she took me for a tour through the 1200 photos that she took in Swaziland and Zimbabwe. I was fascinated with the culture, saddened by the suffering but inspired too. I spent the next few months editing and sorting the photos. I became especially interested in a group called SWAPOL. SWAPOL was started by five middle aged HIV positive women who lived in rural Swaziland. They now have over 1000 members. I made a website for them and later met several members at the Grandmother to Grandmother Gathering in Toronto, August 2006.
I fell in love with three children of an orphan headed household. I found out their names and that none of them were able to go to school because of fees. They need about $100.00 US each per year. That is so little money by our standards! I What was I thinking? I don’t have any money – well, that’s relative isn’t it? I live like a queen compared to these people simply because I live in Canada. I have managed to put 20 dollars a month aside, but as I have told others the story of these children the money has come. Helen and I will be sending it to them this week for their new year of school which starts in January. I have begun to learn about Africa and the dire situation there. I read Stephen Lewis’ “Race Against Time”, which I highly recommend. I am taking a free mini-course on micro-credit that the UN offers on-line. Recently I have learned about a group called Results Canada. They help people learn to write letters to government which is a very effective way to make change. I can write letters.
A dream I have is to put on an event where people who are doing work to help Africa can come together and share their work with the public. I’m inspired by a group called “positively AFRICA”. They work with African people in ways that they want to be helped. Connecting with other people with a common interest will nurture my interest and involvement. My doctor gave me some valuable advice. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems in Africa. It helps to focus on one area. Take on one project. Finding a way that I could help has changed my whole out look out for the better. It has been excellent therapy.
To read more of Shelley’s story, see The Positive Side (January 2007).