HIV/ AIDS have had a devastating effect on Africa especially on Sub-Saharan Africa."Everyone is either infected or affected." (Chanda’s Secrets. 192). HIV/AIDS is a sickness that causes harm to everyone. It can cause biological damage to the person who has it. It also causes emotional damage and financial problem to the same person and to everyone around the sick person. The disease infects the sick person's body. The stigma of the disease affects everyone.
In Chanda's Secret, people are afraid of HIV/AIDS. They were so scared, even the word is forbidden word. They say "that other thing" instead of AIDS. Everyone around her started to die suddenly because they were infected by AIDS. Her step-father Jonah, best friend Esther’s parents, Mrs. Tafa’s son and Chanda’s youngest sister Sara, she was very affected by her younger sister’s death as they were very poor so they couldn’t afford money for the coffin of Sara. When Esther’s parent died, Esther and her younger siblings were affected by the death of their parents as they were very poor. So Esther and her sibling had to separate away from each other. And the only way Esther could made money was to become a prostitute. Mrs. Tafa says that her son Emmanuel died from a hunting accident but at the end she admitted that her son died from stigma as his test come out positive. So he could not handle it so he had to shot himself. Mrs. Tafa lied about her son ; death to hide from the shame and disrespect to her family.
The stigma of the disease keeps everyone silent. "Taking the test is scary. But living with the disease is worse." (145). People were afraid of knowing the truth. They prefer to live in fear than to know the truth. The stigma has taken all the courage from the people. People such as Esther and Lillian do not want to ask for help. They have several reasons to keep their sickness in secret. First of all, they were afraid that when people know they talk about them. “She has the disease, God's curse.". People think getting HIV is a punishment from God of having too much sex. Their family, neighbors and friend look down on them. They think that person is sleeping with anyone. They think they are dirty or impure. Second, their family thinks that person dishonors their family and ancestor. They think the person is a shame for the family. The family won't recognize the person as a member of the family. And the last one, they think telling the truth, people around them won't love him/her anymore. They leave the person alone. All these factors make them live in the shadow and with stigma.
Every day technology improves and new inventions are discovered. Maybe in the future they might find a cure to fight against AIDS. So that people can live without stigma and fear and get hope that they can be cure from AIDS.
Elvin Renghen
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