It's Not a Dream, but a Reality for Many People Living With HIV

Submitted on Oct 7, 2026 by Helena Nangombe

They say "there is light at the end of the tunnel." For many of us living with HIV, that light was hard to see during the darkest times. Stigma made our lives feel like hell. The death of our loved ones was a terrible nightmare. What a journey it has been.

Even after 100 years, we will never stop speaking about where we came from, while of course appreciating the progress we have made in the HIV field, just like Covid-19 came, locked down the whole world, and took our loved ones, but we continue to speak of it because of scars it has left us with.

Have you just been told you are living with HIV? Take a seat. Let's chat.

The road you are about to walk is much lighter now. It is lighter because we are here, writing and speaking openly about our status. It is lighter because people living with HIV can now start life-saving treatment immediately, without waiting for their CD4 counts to drop. It is lighter because there is a strong PLHIV movement determined to support initiatives that will end HIV.

If I take you a few years back, many of us lived in communities that made us feel we did not belong. Yes, it was scary. Many PLHIV delayed their education and careers because of the belief that we were dying at any moment. That is what the community made us feel, and many of us believed it because we were losing loved ones almost every day.

For those who had the means to do something, there was always a question, "Should I start my degree? But why, if I am dying soon, and no one can inherit it?" This has been a hard road for all of us. Seeing the light now means we deserve to tap ourselves on the back for the leadership we hold and for not being afraid to tell OUR STORIES.

Personally, I wish I had known I would still be alive in 2026. Ha-ha, I could have started chasing my dreams long ago. But eish… stigma had its way with me and with many of us. It scared the hell out of us. Yet here we are now, continuing to thrive.

According to the latest UNAIDS fact sheet, around 41 million people globally were living with HIV in 2025. As I write this, I want to say: we are stronger together. There are 41 million unique stories and lived experiences that will continue shaping this journey, and victory will be ours.

Whether you have been living with HIV for one month, one year, or 30 years, we got this. We will continue fighting and continue strengthening what we have built together.

My thoughts on paper
Helena
Namibia

The views and opinions expressed in this blog, like all content on A Girl Like Me, are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of The Well Project and are not intended as professional advice.

Comments

9 comments

Powerful Hope

Submitted by KatieAdsila • 3 weeks ago

I loved this, it is really powerful, and I love your energy and confidence, it’s hard for us to feel very confident about finding a cure sometimes, many have given up on the hope of it ever happening, so I appreciate your hope, I believe we’ll get there, hopefully soon, but till then we can’t lose our hope, thank you for sharing hope!!

Thank you

Submitted by Helena Nangombe • 3 weeks ago

Hey, Katie, thank you so much. I feel really excited to be back here and to be able to write something I can relate to.

Thank you so much for this…

Submitted by Marig2016 • 3 weeks ago

Thank you so much for this writing! It really made me emotional! I was diagnosed in 2016. It had someone shared these words with me it would’ve been a light amidst the darkness!

Thank you for writing this. It’s more necessary than you may know !

You made my day

Submitted by Helena Nangombe • 3 weeks ago

Thank you so much, it really means so much to me hearing this. We are here now, and together we are stronger than AIDS. We will overcome this together.

Thank you again.

Helena

i know that this will help…

Submitted by Ci Ci • 2 weeks ago

i know that this will help someone who is newly diagnosed! the part that sticks with me the most is imagining delaying dreams because you think you won't be here to see them through. i am grateful that you are here and i hope that you are allowing yourself to chase those dreams!

Things were really hard

Submitted by Helena Nangombe • 1 week ago

Ci, thank you so much for your comment, it was so hard but are here to continue the fight.

You are not alone ❤️

Submitted by Jyoti Dhawale • 1 week ago

This hits home! We lost so much more than loved ones; many of us lost time, dreams, opportunities, and the courage to imagine a future. Having travelled to three African countries, I can relate to the realities and challenges of the HIV response in Namibia and the wider region. The experiences may differ, but the impact of stigma, fear, and loss connects us in many ways.

The lived experiences are not just stories of survival; they are stories of courage, leadership, and change. We deserve to celebrate how far we have come! Thank you, Helena.

We indeed deserve to celebrate

Submitted by Helena Nangombe • 1 week ago

Hey, Jyoti,

Thank you so much, indeed the impacts of our journey connect us all. I celebrate my life really because I did not know I will be here now 41 years later. Last year when I turned 40 years old, I did a party with friends and families and just to say thank you " I survived for the longest" and I appreciate that.

Hugs