Zintle Mobbs

I fell sick in May 2004, while I was a second year student in CPUT. I had TB, Pneumonia, Thrush, Sores, and I weighed 35kg’s. When I tested, I already had full blown Aids and my CD4 count was 15. During the time I was sick, people talked, gossiped, judged and some thought my family was under a curse cause both my sisters died due to Aids related illnesses. In January 2005, I started taking the ARV treatment. I came back to continue with my studies and later joined the HIV/AIDS support group on campus.

After a year my CD4 count was 854 and my weight was 62kg’s and so I decided to join the HIV/AIDS Peer Educators Programme. In Peer Education I was part of the Community Outreach sub-group, where I was involved in things like raising funds and collecting clothes then donate them to less advantage communities. I then developed lactic acidosis and lipodystrophy, which are both side effects, caused by ARV’s and had to switch from D4T to AZT. I then realized that living positively is not only about having the right attitude, eating healthy food, exercise and having a strong support system but it’s about learning and knowing everything there is to know concerning the virus.

Later that year I became one of the MAP (Man As Partners) facilitators, a project funded by EngenderHealth where I facilitated workshops in dealing with the role men played towards the spread of HIV/AIDS, Building Healthy Relationships, Violence against Women and Children, Gender Equality and Values, HIV/AIDS Management and Stigma and Discrimination in the residence. I was also a Residential Student Assistant in the Student Housing Department and later In 2006, was voted Community Builder of the Year for De Beers Residence for the role I played in encouraging students to know their HIV status, promoting behavior change and adapting a healthy and positive lifestyle.

My experiences from life taught me a lot of things and some of the lessons I learned was that life was not only about me and by my testimonies I can make a huge difference in people’s lives. I also learned that in life nothing is impossible and the challenges we face are the very same experiences which can turn our lives around and make us better people. I still believe HIV can be manageable but it only needs a right attitude.

Today I hold a degree in Bachelor of Education and have completed courses on HIV/AIDS Counseling and HIV/AIDS Awareness/Information. Most people think I’m an inspiration and in life there’s nothing more fulfilling than touching the lives of others. I still have determination, dreamand goals and one of them is to give hope especially to those who seem to think there’s no life after HIV or AIDS cause there is, in fact I’m a living testimony. I have faith that God will continue giving me all the strength I need to achieve my goals and to continue making a difference in people’s lives.

I’m currently employed as a Health Promoter, a project funded by DramAide at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Bellville campus) in the HIV/AIDS Unit.

As a person living openly with AIDS, my duties as a Health Promoter includes giving care and support to students and staff infected and affected with HIV/AIDS, creating awareness programmes which aim in reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS, Helping in fighting against stigma and discrimination, promoting healthy and positive living to students infected with HIV/AIDS. One of the areas i also focus on is motivational and public speaking in and off campus which includes churches, schools and communities.