I am a laid-back kind of a person. I have lived with HIV since 2002. I am a witness of what science and research can do because I have two children who are HIV negative. My mantra is to bloom where I am planted – to be the change I want.
I have been involved with the Eldoret-Kenya CAB since 2010. My passion in the work of HIV is advocacy about HIV stigma and discrimination, especially amongst Kenyan young people.
I was a GCAB member from 2018-2020 and later joined the CSS. Apart from being in studies and the ORR group, my main involvement with the community as a CAB member is conducting outreach with the community, meeting them where they live to educate them about research. When there are ongoing studies, we mobilize the community before the technical team hit the ground. This is because in our country, religion and culture play a major role in how the community responds to research, so every quarter of the year we go to the community and sensitize them about the importance of research, HIV prevention, and the elimination of HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
During these meetings, the community identifies with me since I took part in study A5208 and I live positively with HIV.
When I’m not empowering the community, I am in schools talking to young people about adherence to HIV medication, stigma and discrimination, drug use and healthy relationships.
Every two months, I am also involved with an activity focused on girls that aims to fight three threats they face in Kenya: HIV prevention, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence. During such meetings, the girls are empowered and given sanitary pads.
And every 1st December, you will find me celebrating World AIDS Day. This is a good time to reflect how far we have come as a people around community research related to HIV. My belief is that eventually we shall have an HIV- free generation.
I describe myself as the hummingbird, doing that little thing possible to make a difference. When I want to unwind, I travel. I love to see the world and appreciate its wonders.
