Age: 23
Occupation: Production Manager

Why I agreed to this project: This opportunity was aptly coincidental. I’ve always thought about doing the HIV screening ever since I’ve had that chance to be educated and be involved in an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. That was about 10 months ago.

The long delay from then till now was because of a fear that I didn’t -acknowledge. I’ve always found reasons to delay it, from work to time management issues. Although I’ve heard a lot and know about the importance of the test, I was still afraid of the process & result because I was sexually active.

This is probably due to the fact that since young, I’ve been made aware by various media & schools that contracting HIV is a death sentence; either you are a drug addict or a prostitute if you are found positive. I didn’t want to be stigmatized then, but now, I want people to know that it is crucial that you know for sure and that it is ok to be afraid of the testing.

Why do I want to the test: I want to be a responsible partner to whoever I’m with. When you’re sexually active with someone, you’re not just sharing a sexual relationship with that person, but also with that person’s history. And since HIV is transmittable, you never know for sure unless a test is done. Even 100% honesty from your partner cannot guarantee that he or she is free from HIV.

I don’t believe in encouraging others to do something when I myself have not done it or don’t believe in it. With this test now, I can, with confidence, enlighten others about the importance of the test. And if possible, to let others know, a fear of the test could be just non-existant demons playing in your mind.