New Vision (Kampala) - October 4, 2009
Frederick Womakuyu

FORTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Boaz Kyalimpa is not ashamed of telling how he contracted HIV/AIDS: "I was very unfaithful to my wife. I used to sleep with one woman after another," he says.

Born in the cocoa producing village of Dumba-Kayansimbe, Bundibugyo district, Kyalimpa says he first heard of AIDS in 1986.

"I was in P.7 and I heard people saying slim is a disease brought by the white man, who contracted it from a chimpanzee. They advised us to run away from white people."

The second last of seven children, Kyalimpa lost a sister-in-law to AIDS. Several neighbours and two of his sister are also HIV positive.

Although Kyalimpa grew up in an organised Christian family that valued discipline and education, he admits he joined a bad group that encouraged him to drop out of school.

"We smuggled cocoa to Congo and I got a lot of money. I built a house and bought land, but I also used the money to entice women," he says.

He fell sick in February 1992 after he had just completed Senior Four. "I got a headache, fever, malaria and excessive vomiting. I became very thin like a pipe," he recalls.

He was admitted to Bundibugyo Hospital and treated for malaria and headache for four months in vain.

In May 1992, his grandmother took him to a witch doctor in the DR Congo. "My parents suspected I had been bewitched because I was bright in class," he explains.

He spent over three months in Congo, but his condition worsened. When he developed rashes around his private parts, The witch doctor asked for three goats, two chickens and sh10,000, Kyalimpa's wife Annet Namakula, who also later tested HIV positive says they were worried about her husband's worsening condition and yet the witch doctor claimed he was recovering.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, they took him to Mulago Hospital in September 1992 for medical checkup.

"When I tested positive, it was like the end of the world. My relatives were heartbroken about the news," he says.

The doctor treated him for malaria and encouraged him to feed on a balanced diet. His health improved. "I moved from Bundibugyo to Mulago Hospital, every month for treatment because Bundibugyo had no HIV services," he says.

The fight begins

In 1994, he became a born again Christian and got inspired to sensitise people on HIV/AIDS. As he preached and talked openly about the disease, some people tested albeit many who turned out to be positive did not reveal their status.

They vanished and relocated to unknown places, which fueled infection. Most people out of frustration said, "I have to die with somebody," he recalls.

Kyalimpa followed them to villages, with a message of positive living, good nutrition, abstinence, faithfulness and use of the condom.

By 2000, he had personally reached over 2,000 people in two sub-counties of Nyahuka and Bubukwanga. About 100 people tested positive during those outreaches.

"After testing positive at Bundibugyo Hospital, many wanted to know how they would live longer. They wanted good nutrition and treatment," he says. Unfortunately, the hospital was not well equipped with ARVs. A few people got drugs from Mulago, but the majority suffered.

Rose Biira, a Bundibugyo resident living with HIV/AIDS joined Kyalimpa in pressing the Bundibugyo district administration to avail HIV-related services to the hospital.

Their call was answered by the health ministry in 2006 and brought and provided the services.

However, only about 10 people enrolled for the Anti-Retro-Viral Therapy because they were reluctant to associate with Kyalimpa due to stigma and discrimination.

To overcome this, he formed an Association of People Living with AIDS (APLHA) in 2007 to advocate for their rights and those of vulnerable children and orphans.

"I started with five people including my wife, but we are now over 200 people. Through a drama group called Bandi Magwara Cultural Group, I declared my status and encouraged people to test and declare their status too," Kyalimpa explains.

Kyalimpa, who serves as the coordinator of APLHA says the group has reached over 10,000 people, at community and health centre level.

He uses a method called GATHER, which means, Greet, Ask, Tell, Help, Explain and Re-assure to tell people about the disease.

When he meets people, he greets them and introduces himself by outrightly revealing his status. He then re-assures them and encourages them to know their status. He gives them a hotline telephone number on which to call.

How effective is he?

Kyalimpa receives five calls per day on his hotline (+256772964356). "Since 2008, I have received 3650 calls. Out of 2000 that have tested, 300 have come out positive," he says.

Local leaders help to mobilise people after which Bundibugyo Hospital provides testing kits to determine people's status. They are then taught about prevention methods like abstinence and being faithful and use of condoms.

"The hospital gives ARVs to over 300 members. World Harvest Mission, a Christian body in Bundibugyo gives clients food and educates orphans," he says.

According to the survey APLHA carried out in May 2009, HIV prevalence in Bundibugyo has reduced from 10% to about 5%. Thirty orphaned children have also joined Bundibugyo Primary School and are receiving food and clothes, courtesy of World Harvest Mission (WHM), he says.

Eight-year-old Linda Katushabe was born with the virus. "My father and mother died, but Kyalimpa took me for testing and put me on ARVs. He also gave me education," she says.

"My health has improved and I play with other children without any trouble." Forty-five-year-old Lucy Apio is also on ARV therapy and receives help from WHM.

Apio who hails from Abim district in Karamoja, says she teaches others prevention and treatment of AIDS/AIDS using music, dance and drama.

The 250 members of the association each pays a membership fee of sh5,000 to run it. Kyalimpa says the biggest challenge they face is lack of external source of funding.

"We can't reach the people who badly need us. When members volunteer to help society, they expect to receive some allowance or transport, but we don't have anything to give them," he laments, calling for financial partners in this great cause.

FACT FILE

Name : Boaz Kyalimpa | Location: Dumba-Kayansimbe, Bundibugyo district | Organisation : Association of People Living with HIV/ AIDS (APLHA) | Age: 47 Years | Impact: Has managed to get over 10,000 people to test and also worked to see that over 300 are on ARV therapy in Bundibugyo. | Quote: "When members volunteer to help society, they expect to receive some allowance or transport, but we don't have anything to give them." | Contact: +256772964356,

Do you know anyone who has played an important role in the fight against HIV/AIDS in their communities? Nominate the person, indicating name, phone contact and what the person has done in his/her community to help people PREVENT HIV infection. Also give your name and phone number. Write to: The Features Editor, New Vision, P.O. Box 9815, Kampala or email: features@newvision.co.ug

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