World AIDS Day is commemorated every year on December 1. According to Stats SA’s mid-year population estimates, there are approximately 8.5 million adults and children living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. People still have this stigma that HIV/AIDS is a death sentence and judge people who are living with it.
To celebrate the day and support people living with HIV/AIDS, Wild Coast Sun held an event and hosted Cindy Ngonini who is an HIV/AIDS activist and she is living with HIV.
Bandile Mdliva, an SED & Community Engagement Manager opened the event by asking everyone light a candle to show support to people living with the virus and those who have relatives that are living with it.
“I have been living with HIV since the age of 18, I’ll be doing an even called HIV Diaries with Cindy Ngonini. I’m doing it to give hope to the hopeless and because each and every day we have new diagnosis and when you’re diagnosed you don’t know how to feel, that’s why I want to be the platform for other people to face the diagnosis of HIV since I’ve been living with it for over 13 years now. In my event I will be taking people through from diagnosis, accepting their status and living positively.” said Cindy Ngonini
She said she wants to help people realize that HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence. She wants to prove to people that they can live a normal live while living with HIV like herself. People should know they can still fulfil their dreams even if they are living with the virus but they should take care of themselves.
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