An eighty five year old man has revealed his HIV positive status and described it as a blessing in disguise. The man identified as Robert Ticharwa Maruta from Zimbabwe, said he got a bit promiscuous after his wife died in 2000 and was diagnosed HIV positive in 2008.
However, he has used his status to warn the youths about HIV and AIDS as a voluntary advocate.
“My wife passed on in 2000 and left me 100 percent healthy at 66 years old. However, I failed to be a decent grandfather and started picking township girls, that’s how I got HIV. I even remember from who exactly,” said Sekuru Samba.
“Let us be decent when our partners die. God will guide us through. “Now, as a grandfather at 84 years old, I am voluntarily footing across Hwedza villages, educating all ages on HIV and AIDS.
Sekuru Samba said it is his advocacy mission that has given him a new purpose in life.
“I am HIV positive but I have welcomed it as a blessing in disguise because I am now a tried and tested HIV awareness voluntary advocate. And it feels like I’m serving a purpose.
“Imagine, my mother, Mbuya VaEnia Nyakatanga Dapi and my father Ticharwa Maruta gave birth to me as a healthy Robert in 1934. Then later I got married to my healthy wife, Kirianah Rwizi Kwari from Mhondoro, Rwizi. We were blessed with two boys Vincent and Tawanda and four girls Yeukai, Anna and the late girls Norma and Tarisai Maruta. We were all healthy and that is what life should be. If people avoid sex before marriage or use protection when they have sex, we will have a healthy population. That is my message to my community.