IMOW - My sister’s legacy

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	My sister’s legacy		GALLERY		CONVERSATION

Tuwilika Heita

Namibia

World YWCA

“little sister be a good girl, don’t follow what I did. Take care of yourself and be aware of HIV and AIDS. As you see me lying here it is because of HIV and AIDS.”

My name is Tuwilika Heita, a 20-year-old woman from Namibia. I became interested in HIV and AIDS and youth issues while in high school. Since we did not have a life skills guidance teacher, nor did we receive education on sex or sexuality, the only place I could get involved in HIV and AIDS issues was in clubs and associations.

The AIDS awareness club was developed to empower and support high school students and was open to every interested student. This club established a management structure that included a facilitator. From the youth centre, we obtained books provided by the Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture that were used for debates, games, discussions and other activities that mobilised and educated us on HIV prevention and care issues.

By the time I joined high school, I had already been affected by AIDS. My eldest sister died in 2002 from an AIDS-related illness. I was fifteen years old when she first started getting ill. It was a difficult time for our family; my parents were separated and unemployed. Our family of six, four girls and two boys was broken. My eldest sister was supporting my siblings and me by paying our school fees and meeting other personal daily needs.
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