If Only I had Information About Condom Use, Laments HIV Positive Young Mum as World Marks Condom Day

‘I was impregnated and infected with HIV at the age of 20, immediately after high school.’ This is the story of a 26-year old Virginia, a single mum of a five-year-old daughter and a 10-year old adopted son from Mathare, Nairobi. Virginia’s dreams of becoming a doctor were cut shot after realizing she was pregnant and infected with HIV at a young age. She had no source of income, felt frustrated, moved in with the man who impregnated her. Life was not easy, she developed low self-esteem.

‘The man started looking down on me, so I moved back to my mum’s house. Thank God my mum embraced me, took me to a clinic AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Mathare where tests were confirmed and immediately put on Anti-Retroviral drugs, ARVs.

She however regrets that her situation would be different if she had accessed information on condom use earlier. She says that she always thought condoms were just ‘mere papers’ and didn’t understand their use.

Virginia admits that staying single is lonely and wishes to have a partner, but its not easy getting a partner with her status. ‘It is a challenge getting a partner when you’re HIV positive. I’ve tried joining online dating sites but the moment you disclose your status to a man, they immediately vanish. Yes I regret because if I had information on condom use, I would be on the safer side, every man would want to date me’. She laments.

As the World marks Condom Day, just a day before the much publicized Valentine’s Day, the young mother advises youth to embrace condom use to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies, HIV and other STI’s.

The day which is marked on 13th February annually, is an innovative way of reminding people that wearing a condom prevents unwanted pregnancies, STIs and HIV. People are reminded on this day to practice safety when being intimate with their partners. Each year, a theme is picked for the day, this year’s theme being ‘Yours, Mine and Ours’. This is a reminder that it is everyone’s responsibility to practice safer sex.

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