I am Joana Phiri, born on the 31st March 1992. I have a certificate of MSCE which was obtained at Phwadzi. Now I am working with Progressio as a volunteer. On 23rd October 2014 we went to N’gabu, where we visited some support groups of women living with HIV and AIDS. There were 4 support groups; Magomero, Chisomo, Nthandizi and Tiyanjane. The main aim was to find out the problems they are facing and what they think can be the solution to their problems. We as volunteers thought we could help them by joining them during their activities like the making of vegetable gardens and awareness campaigns. One of the UK volunteers, Julia, can teach them how to make some things out of waste materials, such as bags that they can sell.
As an in-country volunteer I feel very bad upon hearing those stories of discrimination and very willing to do something about it if I can get a chance. Examples of discrimination we have heard include being excluded from subsidy programs because they are considered to be already dead and thus it will be a waste of resources. Other women reported not being given chairs at village meetings for fear they will pass the disease on to others.
We are planning on starting a vegetable garden, visiting children who are HIV positive and visiting support groups who have established their own village banks. These activities have helped me a lot as an individual to change my mind on how I was thinking about HIV and AIDS in Malawi. I was thinking that Malawi will never change the bad attitude towards HIV people on discrimination, but now I think we can make difference through awareness campaigns on discrimination and other activities, if we can be the first ones trying, us as women we can really make a difference. Together we can.
