Every morning in Kirehe District, Eastern Rwanda, 58-year-old Consolee Musabyimana begins her day with prayer and gratitude. She waters the small garden outside her home, checks on her lesson plans—she’s a teacher—and sends loving texts to her three grown children, all proud university graduates. It’s a morning ritual she cherishes deeply.
There was a time, not so long ago, when Consolee feared she wouldn’t live to witness any of it. “I was scared I wouldn’t survive,” she says. “But more than that, I was terrified that my youngest daughter might be infected too. That fear nearly broke me.”
A Journey Through Loss, Fear, and Diagnosis
Consolee’s story begins in 2002, when her husband passed away due to HIV/AIDS. Though he managed to purchase antiretroviral therapy (ART), it came too late—his body was already too weak.
After his death, a peer educator approached Consolee and encouraged her to get tested. “At the time, I was afraid. I thought a positive result would mean the end of everything,” she remembers. It took her two years to find the courage, but in 2004, she got tested—and received an HIV positive result.
She began ART in 2005, as access improved in Rwanda. “I was devastated. I was a widow with three children. My youngest was just nine years old, and I kept thinking—what if I passed the virus to her during pregnancy or breastfeeding?”
It took months of gathering strength before she could take her children for testing. To her immense relief, they all tested HIV negative.
“That moment—I cried. I felt like I had been given another chance to live.” She says.
Fighting Stigma, Finding Support
While Consolee remained financially stable thanks to her teaching job, she faced harsh emotional and social realities.
“We used to go to the health center to collect food, and everyone would know why you were there. People would whisper. Even my children faced stigma at school. People assumed they had HIV just because of me.” She reflects.
The emotional toll was immense. “I was depressed. I felt alone. But my doctor, my best friend, and my children—they helped me stay strong.”
Soon after her diagnosis, Consolee joined a cooperative of people living with HIV. Through the Rwanda Network of People Living with HIV /RRP+, she found community, healing, and solidarity.
“Joining RRP+ changed everything. I wasn’t alone anymore. They helped us advocate for our needs, offered counseling, and even supported our children’s education.”
When her children entered secondary school, the financial strain increased. However, thanks to RRP+ and their partners, Consolee received assistance through education sponsorship programs.
“They helped pay for school fees. I don’t know how I would’ve managed otherwise. It gave me hope.”
Healing in Parallel with a Nation
Following the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, HIV prevalence and AIDS-related deaths rose sharply in Rwanda, with thousands dying annually due to lack of treatment (Republic of Rwanda Ministry of Health, 2019). Today, Rwanda’s adult HIV prevalence has stabilized at around 3%, and 97% of people on ART are now virally suppressed, a remarkable feat that reflects decades of coordinated efforts (UNAIDS, 2023).
Consolee credits this progress to the country’s leadership and collaborative approach.
“The government made it a priority. They worked with RRP+, Partners in Health (PIH), and other stakeholders to make sure we could access medication and care for free. That’s not something you find everywhere.”
“Rwanda didn’t just rebuild roads and hospitals. It rebuilt people. It rebuilt dignity. I’m alive today because my country didn’t give up on people like me.”
A Life Reclaimed, A Future Reimagined
Today, Consolee is not defined by her diagnosis. She is a mother, teacher, advocate, and a proud example of resilience.
She still takes her medication daily and visits the health center for regular checkups. She continues to speak up in support groups and encourages others living with HIV to seek support and stay committed to their health.
“I’m not just surviving with HIV. I am living. I am building.”
She beams when she talks about her children. “All three graduated from university. That’s what I fought for. That’s my joy.” She proudly said.
Her message to anyone newly diagnosed with HIV is simple, but powerful:
“HIV isn’t a death sentence anymore. Follow your doctor’s advice. Find your support system. And never give up on your life. You’ll be surprised how long and how well you can live.”
Consolee’s Story, Rwanda’s Vision
Consolee’s story is one of many that reflect Rwanda’s transformation from crisis to care, from silence to support.
In alignment with Rwanda’s Vision 2050, the country continues to prioritize health equity, universal access to ART, community-based care, and stigma elimination. RRP+ remains one of the key players in this journey, creating platforms for people living with HIV to be seen, heard, and supported.
“Living with HIV taught me that life is a battle worth fighting,” Consolee says. “And Rwanda taught me that healing—personal and national—is truly possible.”
The Writer is Marie Merci UMUTONIWASE
An internee with Rwanda Network of People Living with HIV/RRP+
