Surviving rape and AIDS

Duration: 3 min 56 sec

Transcript

THANDEKA: UNonqaba unomfanekiso ngqondweni othe gca ngokwenzeka kuye mhla wadlwengulwa ngu Ompi wakhe. Nangona umenzi welisikizi wagwetywa ngobudlwengu bakhe, wasweleka ngo2000 emva kweminyaka esibhozo wagwetywa. Ukanti nomakazi kaNonqaba wathi wasweleka kulonyaka uphelileyo. Echaza ukuba wafumanisa njani ukuba uphila nale ntsholongwane.

 Translation: Nonqaba has a vivid memory of what happened to her the day she was raped by her uncle. Although Nonqaba’€™s rapist was charged and sentenced for rape, he died in 2000, eight years after he was convicted. Last year her aunt also died. Nonqaba explains how she found out about her HIV status.

NONQABA: Ndaye ndagoduka ndaya emaXhoseni kuMakhulu wam then ke ngoku ndagula ndaphuma amaqhakuva apha emzimbeni. Emveni koko uMakhulu wam wandithumela apha eKapa kumamam ndasiwa eRed Cross. ERed Cross ndatsalwa igazi kwathiwa ndi HIV positive. Ndandidlwengulwe numyeni kamakazi wam.

Translation: I went home to the rural areas of Transkei to visit my Granny. I got sick, my whole body was full of sores. My granny sent me back to my mom in Cape Town. They took me to Red Cross Hospital and I was tested for HIV and I tested positive. It was because my aunt’€™s husband raped me.

THANDEKA: UNonqaba akazange afane nabanye abantwana ababa nomethuko bade baphazamiseke nasengqondweni boyike nokuthetha ngokubehleleyo. Womelela wabalisela umakazi wakhe ngokwenziwe kuye ngumyeni kamakazi wakhe.

Translation: Many children become mentally disturbed when they are assaulted, this was not the case with Nonqaba. She was strong enough to tell her aunt that her uncle raped her.

NONQABA: Umakazi wam yena ndamxelela kwasekuqaleni ukuba ndi rape(tshwe) ngumyeni wakhe wambambisa. Ke ngoku emveni koko waxelelwa into yokuba ndi HIV positive. Basweleka. Umyeni wakhe usweleke ngo 2000 umakazi wam yena usweleke kulonyaka uphelileyo ngo September.

Translation: I told my aunt right away that her husband raped me. My aunt opened a rape case. She was later told that I was HIV positive. My aunt’€™s husband died in 2000. My aunt died last year in September.

THANDEKA: Bekunjani emveni kokuba uchazile ukuba uphila nale ntsholongwane kusapho lwakho?

Translation: How were things after you have disclosed your HIV status to your family?

NONQABA: Umamam wayekhathazekile kakhulu kuba wayengayazi into yokuba ndandiyifumene phi then kengoku bandibuza ukuba kwakuqhubeke ntoni ngoku ndandihlala nomakazi wam ndabaxelela. Yena wayecinga ukuba ndayifumana kuye.

Translation: My mother was frightened because she did not know where I contracted the virus and she thought she had infected me. They asked me to tell them what happened when I was living with my aunt.

THANDEKA: Unayo yena?

Translation: Is your mother HIV positive?

NONQUBELA: Ah ah, akanayo.

Translation: No, no. She’€™s not.

THANDEKA: Emveni kokuba uvile ukuba uphila nale ntsholongwane uzive njani? Ingabe ubuqonda ukuba intsholongwane kagawulayo yintoni?

Translation: How did you feel after knowing your status? Did you know anything about HIV?

NONQABA: Ah ah, bendingayazi ukuba yintoni intsholongwane kagawulayo and zange ndibe ne feeling endinayo kodwa ndathi ndakumana i-counseling, ndaxelelwa kakuhle nge HIV then kengoku ndazi feel(isha) ingathi ndindodwa akukho mntu undihoyileyo

kodwa umamam wayekhona yena.

Translation: No, I didn’€™t know what HIV was. I did not have any feeling but after I got counseling and I had thorough information about HIV. I felt so lonely as if I was alone and nobody cared about me. But my mom was always there for me.

THANDEKAbanye abantu babanoloyiko xa ubani ephila nentsholongwane kagawulayo abantu bacwezela lee. Kodwa akukhange kubenjalo kule nzwakazi. Uthi inxaso yosapho lwakhe isikhokelo sempilo eqondileyo kwindlela yokuphila nogawulayo ebutsheni bakhe.

Translation: Some people fear that if you have HIV you become an outcast. But this has not happened to Nonqaba. Instead her family is giving her all the support she needs. She says her family support gives her strength to live a positive life as a teenager living with AIDS.

NONQABA: Ndiphila kakuhle i-family yam indiphethe kakuhle. Ndihlala nomamam, nomakhulu wam, no brother wam omncinci no sister wam omdala notata. Ndiyasifumana i-support.

Translation: I’€™m living a normal life with my family. They treat me well. I’€™m staying with my mom, my grandmother, younger brother, sister and my dad. They support me.

THANDEKA: Uthi ukuphila nentsholongwane kagawulayo ngamahlandenyuka nomceli mngeni. Utsho ekhumbula unyaka apho wayenentloko enkenkethayo neyamenza ukuba alaliswe nasesibhedlele sabantwana eRed Cross ithuba leenyanga ezimbini. Ndimbuzile ukuba kunjani ukuphila nale ntshholongwane? Yonke lento ingaba mahlawumbi ayimphazamisanga ebomini bakhe bobunntwana?

Translation: She says living with HIV is a challenge. She remembers the year when she had a migraine and was hospitalized at Red Cross Children Hospital for two months. I asked her what is it like to live with HIV and how does it impact her life?

NONQABA: Indiphazamise kakhulu. Indiphazamisele ngoba   ndikhe ndagula ixesha elide ndingayi esikolweni. Ukhona unyaka ebendingakhange ndimfunde bendizakufunda uSTD3 andamfunda loo nyaka lowo. Kwanyanzeleka ukuba kunyaka ozayo kufuneka ndiphinde kwala Grade benzizakuyifunda uGrade 5.

Translation: This has disturbed me in many ways. It disturbed me because I once got sick and I dropped out of school. There was a year that I had to quit school and I had to repeat Standard 3. I was forced to repeat the same Grade the following year, Grade 5.

THANDEKA: Kubahlobo bakho mhlambi bona bakuthatha njani?

Translation: Your friends how are they treating you?

NONQABA: Ndabaxelela, iitshomi zam into yokuba ndiphila nale ntsholongwane kodwa zange kubekho nto banayo basandiphethe njengomhlobo wabo.

Translation: I told my friends that I’€™m HIV positive but they have never discriminated against me. I’€™m still their friend.

THANDEKA: Uqale nini ke ngoku ukuthabatha lamachiza kagawulayo?

Translation: When did you start with your ARV treatment?

NONQABA: Ndiqale ngo 2002.

Translation: In 2002.

THANDEKA: Aye akuphatha njani ukuzokuthi ga ngoku?

Translation: How is the treatment going?

NONQABA: Azange ndigule ndibe nanto endinayo zange ndibe nazo ii-side effects. Ndisazitya nangoku. Ngoku benditsale igazi kule veki iphelileyo kuthiwa iipilisi ndizitya kakuhle iiCD4 cell counts zam zime kakuhle akukho ngxaki emzimbeni wam.

Translation: I haven’€™t encountered any problems with the medication and not even side effects. I’€™m still taking them (ARV). Last week when I went for a doctor’€™s appointment I was told that my CD4 cells count is fine and that there’€™s nothing wrong with my health.

THANDEKA: Ingaba ke lamachiza kagawalayo athetha ntoni kuwe?

Translation: What do ARV medicine s mean to you?

NONQABA: Abaluleke kakhulu kubomi bam ngoba ngoku ndiyaphila. Ndilapha nje

kungenxa yazo, ngokuba ukuba bezingekho ezo pilisi andiqondi ukuba ngendilapha ngendisagula.Ndiphilile ngoku ngenxa yazo zibaluleke kakhulu.

Translation: They are vital in my life because I’€™m still alive because of them. If it wasn’€™t because of these drugs I don’€™t I would be alive. I think I would be still sick. I’€™m alive today because of them. They are important.

THANDEKA: Iphupha lika Nonqaba kukuba abe nguGqirha ngenye imini. Unethemba ke lokuba lamachiza kagawualayo angafezekisa amaphupha akhe ngokumgcina ubomi obude.

Translation: Nonqaba’€™s dream is to become a doctor one day. She hopes that antiretrovial therapy can make her dream come true by prolonging her life even longer.

NONQABA: Xa sendimdala bendifuna ukuba ngugqirha ndikwazi ukunceda abanye abantu abafana nam.

Translation: When I’€™m older I would like to become a doctor so that I can help people who are sick like myself.

E-mail Thandeka Teyise

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  • healthe

    Health-e News is South Africa's dedicated health news service and home to OurHealth citizen journalism. Follow us on Twitter @HealtheNews

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