Ernestine’s Story: Rising Above HIV Stigma to Empower Others

In 2007, at the age of 21, Ernestine Uwimbabazi started listening to the silence that came with knowing. Diagnosed with HIV, she was overwhelmed with fear and isolation because the news felt like a heavy burden, bringing with it a wave of uncertainty about her future, how others would treat her, and whether she would ever live a normal life again.

 “I thought my life was over,” Ernestine recalls. “Taking medication was hard for me, even when I started antiretroviral medication I opted for Muhima Health Center in Kigali, far away from where I live in Rulindo district, because I was afraid and ashamed, and I didn’t want anyone to know that I am living with HIV.”

Everything changed when Ernestine was introduced to a peer education program by the Rwanda Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS/RRP+. There, she met her peers, confident young women and men living openly with HIV, who had walked a similar path before gaining hope.

Through weekly group sessions and one-on-one talks, Ernestine was helped to believe her condition, adhere to treatment, and transit to emotional healing. She later started getting treatment from Murambi health centre, near her homse area, where she was even taken good care of, during the birth of her first born baby.

“It helped me a lot to be a peer educator, I started taking my medication regularly, learning from peer group sessions and dreaming again for a better future. I also gained more strength to talk to new comers. They came to thank me and said, “We had also lost hope.” Things started getting better, and even now I feel good, even better than some people who don’t have HIV.”, Ernestine says, with a smile.

Today, Ernestine is a peer lead to over 60 young people living with HIV in her district; speaking about HIV prevention and stigma providing psychosocial support and encouraging adherence to treatment. They also belong to an association named “Umucyo” for Socio-Economic Empowerment

Ernestine added, “Here, we have a savings and loan group that meets every Thursday at the health center. We support each other by lending money to those facing financial difficulties so they can buy small livestock like goats, rabbits, or egg-laying chickens to improve their livelihoods.”

Ernestine’s journey has been made possible through the peer education model, which has proved to be a powerful strategy in the HIV response.

“Personally, I have reached many people who had refused to take their medication. I would tell them, “Look at me first — do you see any problem with me?” And they would respond, “So that’s how it is for you too? You take the medication!” Then I’d say, “Yes, I take it and I take it properly.” I managed to bring seven people back to treatment, and their lives continued.”, she said proudly.

Most peers have opened up especially when they know that their colleague has been through what they are experiencing too, because a peer lead takes time to explain, and also endeavors to build trust and listens without judgment.  

One of Ernestine’s challenges

  The major challenges Ernestine and her colleagues often face in peer counseling is that sometimes it takes them strong efforts to convince someone who has abandoned treatment.

“When you look at the state of their health and their mindset, you realize it’s a real challenge because helping them understand the importance of treatment can be very difficult. If they’re willing, we accompany them to the health center so that the medical staff can counsel them further, because that’s where our capacity as peer educators ends.”, Ernestine said.  

Thanks to Ernestine’s work, together with other youth peer educators, and stakeholders, more young people in her community are being encouraged to getting tested, starting treatment earlier, and finding optimism against the fear they once had.

“HIV is not the end,” Ernestine says with confidence. “I have learnt how it is the start of a new chapter in life—especially when you’re not facing it alone.”