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     My name is Gracious Linda. I have two daughters ages 12 and eight, and a son age 15. I am the ZNNP [Zimbabwe National Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS] Provincial Representative for Matabeleland South.
     HIV/AIDS came to my home through the marriage bed. My husband was the Chief Executive Officer at the Council Offices. He had a roving eye, and because there were many women who came through his office he started cheating on me. Though I knew what was going on, I remained faithful to him. I hoped he would change, and I did not wish to break up the family home. To me it was important that the children should be raised in a home with a father and mother.
     In 1993 when I was expecting my last daughter, I had a routine pregnancy blood test. I was shocked when I tested positive. A further test in 1994 confirmed the previous results. I was HIV positive. For some time I was in a stupor.
     Confirmation of the reality of the situation hit me over and over as each of my husband’s five girlfriends died. By the time my husband died in December 1995, I did not need any more evidence. I knew that I as his wife had a big problem on my hands. By then there was more information about HIV/AIDS, and I had already joined a support group.
     Sizo kaZulu support group was really my support emotionally and spiritually. There were 20 of us altogether. We got together and shared from the depth of our beings. We talked about living positively by developing positive attitudes. We all made up our minds that we would avoid further infection, build our bodies by eating nutritious food, and be there for each other.
     When any of us went into depression we gave those persons counseling sessions and stood by them until they felt better. We applied for and got aid to start an Income-Generation Project. We raise and sell chickens. Our children automatically become members of the group.
     The greatest challenge I am facing now is finding a way to share about my status with my children. My eldest son, seeing my involvement with HIV/AIDS-related issues and knowing that he and his sisters are having their school fees paid through the National AIDS levy, has asked me probing questions about his father. I have not been able to answer all of them, but I am working on a Memory Book. This will be part of what I will leave for my children. Through it they will know some of my innermost thoughts and desires for them. They will learn about some of my struggles and triumphs on the long road with HIV/AIDS. They will learn about what our family life was meant to be before we were robbed by the scourge.
     My in-laws and I do not have a particularly good relationship, so another challenge I have is to raise enough funds to be able to give my children a good education. The AIDS levy money from the government is helpful, but it is not enough, especially for my son who goes to a boarding school. I do not wish my children to end up as street kids. I pray that I should live long enough to push them on in their schooling. I am self-employed as a vegetable and fruit vendor. Sometimes I do cross-border trading in Botswana.
     The health of my youngest daughter also causes me some concern. She is often sick. I do my best to give her a good nutritious diet and hope for the best.