Lazarus, Zambia: Why feel pity for myself?

Lazarus Bwalya Chipenge, a teacher in the Zambian town of Kabwe had suffered a number of types of stigmatisation but worst of all was the self stigmatisation he was experiencing – probably brought about by the other forms of HIV-related stigma that he faced.

Lazarus, who is blind, used to shock audiences whenever he disclosed his HIV positive status. Eventually they would come to accept him, but his own thoughts about himself – the blame, the self-judging – never seemed to settle easily. This also stopped him from reaching out to some of his friends and colleagues who needed support.

But Lazarus started to look at his HIV status in a different way after the organisation that he belongs to (a support group started by the Positive Women’s Network) organised a stigma workshop. One of the national stigma trainers, trained by Alliance’s regional stigma training project, facilitated the workshop.

The day he attended the stigma workshop he knew that it was time to change: “Immediately the workshop begun I realized that an opportunity for change had arrived,” he said.

“Why feel pity for myself, instead of doing something meaningful to contribute to the fight of the pandemic?” he said.

Lazarus has now initiated a support group to help others who could be in the same situation as he was. Even reaching out has become easier; about ten of his friends have disclosed their HIV positive status either to their families or to the public.