It was through Transactional sex that i got infected with HIV

The first time i saw a HIV positive person was in 1994 at age 13 in Nanyuki district hospital where my brother who was being treated for TB had been admitted. By then, HIV and TB patients had a joint special ward that was situated behind the main hospital away from other wards. Ken looked thin and his voice was faint. As i continued visiting my brother Ken's health deteriorated fast and he died. Ken's scary look got stuck in my head and when i went for a Sunday service one day the preacher warned us of a killer disease AIDs that was as a result of 'sleeping around'. 

The sermon further emphasized on faithfulness in marriages. I vowed to have sex only after i get married. I kept my word. Eight years later, I got married and within one year i was pregnant. Marriage however did not work for me as it became clear to me that my husband was a wife batterer. I left in my second year with him. It was tough in Likii village, slum. I struggled to survive. When i could not feed my son i decided to take him to my mother who would take better care of him.

I became a single mother living in Nanyuki 'mwisho wa reli'. It did not long to get noticed by an army man. This is a town where the army have been for years including the 'njonis' the british army. James was loving, caring and honest. He gave me the idea of going back to school which i embraced with joy. He agreed to support me with my studies only if only i became his girlfriend. I thought there was no harm though he was a married man.

During my second year at the university, i developed a cough that never went away despite medication. It became so persistent that i left school to rest at home. I became better after a week and on my way to school, i sat next to a lab technician who volunteered to test me once we got to our destination at his clinic. He conducted a TB test and further advised me to go for a HIV test at the nearest VCT center across the road.  I walked to the VCT and on counseling and receiving the test, the counselor said 'Am sorry your test is positive'. He then gave me a referral to a comprehensive care center.  JAMES HAD INFECTED ME WITH HIV.