Brian Ahimbisibwe

Brian is an EGPAF Ambassador, Global Health Corp fellow at Intrahealth, USAID-funded Regional Health Integrationto Enhance Services in the Southwest Region Project (RHITES-SW) Young Leader, past president of Rotaract, board member of Mayanja Memorial Hospital Foundation, and master of public health student at Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

Over a decade ago, no one thought children like Brian in Uganda would make it. Brian was born with HIV at a time when the world was grappling with treating adults. Mothers who had the disease passed it on, unknowingly to their children through pregnancy, delivery or breastmilk. In 2006, when Brian was 16, a friend noticed him taking medications and asked if they were for HIV. Brian was confused and shocked, denying the possibility—but his friend’s question planted doubts in his mind. He looked into his prescription and realized it was, in fact, an antiretroviral drug.

“I imagined everyone in my class now knew about my status,” Brian says. “I began to hide when taking the drugs.” He even stopped taking his medications reliably and skipped a few doctor’s appointments. His health began to deteriorate. Plagued by shame and self-doubt due the stigma HIV carries within his community, Brian struggled in adolescence. Eventually, returning to the clinic where he sought treatment, he recognized three fellow students from school. They acknowledged each other, mutually recognizing their shared status. Finding solidarity in this way was comforting to Brian, as well as his classmates.

He was among the first members of an Ariel Club started at Kabale Regional Referral Hospital in 2007. Brian also began to help register other children at the clinic and follow-up with those who missed meetings. Brian explains that in his Ariel Club, he not only received psychosocial support from peers living with HIV, but also experienced “positive living interventions, just broken down for kids like me.”

“In them, I found a safe place where I belonged. There were children like me and the adults ‘got me;’ they understood what we were going through. The friendships I developed are still strong and we hold each other accountable even to this day,” says Brian.

FAST FORWARD

With the help of good doctors, relentless global advocates including EGPAF, innovations in HIV treatment, political will and Ariel Clubs, Brian is here today living a wonderful life. Brian advocates for a world where no child has AIDS and where there is no stigma attached to HIV. “I have seen too many people; my own age, mates, struggle with taking their medications because somebody out there made them feel ugly or like they did something awful to contract HIV. As part of our work as youth leaders in USAID RHITES-SW project, we confront the shame and fear which prevent people including mothers and their babies, children and youth from testing, starting treatment and adhering. When we no longer attach stigma, adherence and support for effective treatment will not be an issue, young people will be eager to get treated without any worries, leaders at all levels will genuinely.

“I will not stop telling my story until HIV is normalized and young people living with HIV are not stigmatized, have no need of hiding their status, or worry about taking their medicines,” Brian asserts.