– She came out as person living with HIV/Aids in 2017 on social media

– The mother of two met a number of men were not satisfied with the fact that people can be intimate and not get infected

– Her ex-husband was okay with her condition but later became unfaithful leading to domestic querel every time

– Throughout her marriage, they had unprotected sex since her viral load was suppressed by ARVs

– She feared by being unfaithful, the husband might have unprotected sex with someone positive and re-infect

– It became worse and the man left her for another woman

In a country where people who are HIV positive have to endured a lot of stigma the moment they make their status public, one woman who contracted the disease is using her status to change the perception.

Phenny Awiti’s life took a turn when she was in Form Two at Asumbi Girls’ High School in 2008, at that time she was just 16-year-old with no sexual partner and the thought that she could be positive did not ever cross her mind.

According to TUKO.co.ke who interviewed Phenny at her Nairobi house on Friday, August 10, the mother of two opened up on what has been a journey battling with discrimination.

The lady who is now involved in many projects, came out as person living with HIV/Aids in 2017 on social media, met a number of men most of whom were not satisfied with the fact that people can be intimate and not get infected.

She finally met the father of my two beautiful girls and like any other man, Phenny disclosed to him her status and he was okay with it at first.

Eight months after the coming of her second daughter, she started having issues with the ex-husband who later dumped her for another woman.

Throughout their marriage, they engaged in unprotected sex because the ARVs drugs she was taking kept her viral load low.

“He was HIV negative and I was HIV positive. I never infected him and he is still negative even today. He started being unfaithful.

“Normally I said if he was going to be unfaithful, I would let him go because he might have unprotected sex with someone living with HIV. It can be re-infected,” she told TUKO.co.ke.

The HIV/Aids activist recounted an organization initiating blood drive donation had visited the school in second term and she gladly donated just like any other student not knowing her HIV status.

Another organization again visited in third term, this time, she remembered they were given soda and loaves of bread as an enticement to test their HIV status.

It was an amazing opportunity to have free loaf and soda all to myself, she thought.

“At the back of my mind I just needed the bread and soda. Barely after five minutes she, one counselor asked whether I had any boyfriend and I said no. She then handed me my kit. It had double line. I was positive,” she told TUKO.co.ke.

After going through counselling, traumatised and lost, Phenny dashed to her best friend’s dormitory and disclosed to her status marking the beginning of troubles in school.

Though she maintained her friend was very supportive, four days later her condition had become a matter of public knowledge and the whole school knew about it.

“After four days, I went to serve food in the dinning hall, when I stepped inside I saw a group of girls in a deep conversation. Then all sudden I overheard one of them say that is why she is so fat, she takes those drugs,” she narrated.

On that particular night, her best friend asked her to return every stuff of she might be having and then withdrew from completely from Phenny because she would equally infect her.

But ho does Phenny deal with men wanting to date her?