Introduction
I am John Paul Ikeagwuonu Ibekwe, the coordinator of the Save the World organization, Onitsha and I am a person living with HIV.
How do you feel knowing you have the virus?
Knowing that I have the disease, I feel more comfortable and I feel okay. I don’t feel anything abnormal. What I do is that I try to make sure that other people who are not infected stay free by telling them my status and then trying to help the community to be free from HIV.
I have several experiences, both from family and colleagues. Upon all this, I think that I don’t have self–stigma. As of today, I don’t remember anything about stigmatization. But initially when I tested positive,I had problem with the Catholic Church when I wanted to wed. After that I have been participating in the anti-HIV campaigns and I don’t have problems anymore.
Married Life
My wife and I have two children. My wife is positive and our children are negative.
Advice to people
Being negative today, you must try as much as possible to remain negative.
But being negative today does not mean you may not be positive tomorrow. All I say to people is wherever you find yourself in the two lives, whether you are positive or negative, live positively. Then live your life meaningfully and make sure you don’t pass it on to another person.
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