After Evelyn Siula’s husband died, she knew she had to get tested for HIV. The result came back as positive.
"I had prepared myself mentally for either outcome, but it was still a shock."
She was jobless and with three children to care for.
The stigma and discrimination surrounding the virus meant that many people were scared to disclose their status. "I had three friends whose families rejected them because their HIV status became known,” Evelyn shares.
But Evelyn chose to break the silence early, starting by telling her young daughter. Family support played a crucial role in Evelyn’s journey. Her family stood by her, offering constant encouragement and strength, vital for getting through the many challenges.
Stigma followed Evelyn. She recalls a particularly painful moment: “At a community gathering, someone pointed at me and asked, ‘Can you believe she’s HIV-positive?’ It was one of the worst experiences being talked about like that.”
Evelyn became a strong advocate for people living with HIV, standing up to stigma everywhere, including in her church. At a gathering in a church, when a speaker criticized people living with HIV, she shared her own status as HIV-positive and as a church elder. Her openness has helped challenge stigma and gain support. Through her work she learned that many fellow church members were struggling in silence, and so helped create the Livingstonia Synod Positive Christians group, known as LISAP+.
Despite her bold advocacy, Evelyn acknowledges how mental health challenges, particularly fear and anxiety, have affected her. “I have thoughts like: ‘What if something happens to me? What if I die?’ I worry about my children and how they would manage without me. These are the fears that raise my blood pressure.”
But over time, Evelyn’s diagnosis has become not just a challenge but also a source of strength.
Today, Evelyn works for UNAIDS and is the vice chair of the UN Plus Advisory Group. She is proud to show that people living with HIV are leading healthy and productive lives.
She has completed Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in business administration. “The day I graduated with my Master’s degree was extra special because I graduated alongside my eldest son. It’s rare for a mother and son to share such a moment.”
Evelyn encourages everyone to ensure they know their HIV status as the first step to taking control of their health: “Please get tested. It's just a status. If you're positive, follow the advice of your doctors. There is full life after testing HIV positive. Take your medication religiously, eat well, and live a healthy life.”
“Never stigmatize anyone,” says Eveyln, “because we are all one.”
