Mr Piaso Maringwa of Manoti, Gokwe, stood tall to give his account of how he survived tuberculosis and HIV, all through the support of his loving wife.
He was speaking last week during an editors and station managers' workshop organised by the National Aids Council (NAC).
"I was diagnosed with HIV in 1999, after l had just been diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB). With TB stigma rife, I questioned the importance of testing for HIV since there was no treatment. I thought that a positive result would kill me. I did not need that. The TB diagnosis was already a burden.
"Back home, the community and family was just not ready to accept that one of their own had TB, let alone HIV. I am grateful that my wife Sarudzai stood by me. For three months I was admitted and my wife was sleeping on the hospital's floor helping me," said Mr Maringwa.
His wife, Mrs Sarudzai Maringwa, is a woman of few words and spoke of family unity in the face of adversities.
"Everyone deserves a second chance. He is my husband, and he apologised and was open about his status. I started medication in 2017 and l am really fit and able to take care of my grandchildren," she said.
Said Mr Maringwa: "As a man, I was a Casanova, the bad guy. I smoked, drank all types of beer. I was a teacher living far away from home so I slept around. I had the money. I suspect I got infected in 1988 when I was teaching in Nyanga.
"I can't say I was unhappy, I was just reckless and I let lust take control. My wife is a supportive person. We were blessed with two children and we had been married for 10 years when l tested positive for HIV.
"I was open about it and told my wife that I now had the 'dreaded' disease. I asked her to get tested for HIV, I feared that she could have been infected. She refused and said she was better off not knowing. I had told her that if she tested negative, she was free to leave. If she was HIV positive, I would stand by her.
"I got strength from support groups. Our child born in 1991 is HIV negative but our daughter born in 1994 tested positive. We only have two children.
"For 18 years, we used condoms for protection. Stigma and discrimination was so high back then. I think some people even died of stigma and neglect. Even the nurses and doctors' message hinged on death. It was like a death sentence. Let us not frighten people when a disease infects someone
"As a headmaster, I asked the District Administrator to give me the opportunity to raise awareness. Sadly, he did not afford me the time. Years later, we lost the staff members I had suspected to be HIV positive. The support I could have given them could have helped. I have been talking of HIV since 2004, I am not seeking sympathy. I speak to raise awareness," said Mr Maringwa.
He highlighted the need for disclosure and apologising to HIV positive children who were infected by their parents.
"There are children born HIV positive and parents are not open about their status. As a parent with an HIV positive child, I asked for forgiveness. If you have an HIV positive child, please ask them for forgiveness.
"Our daughter went to get tested with her friends when she was 12. The nurse withheld the results and when we went back with her to get the results, we were told that she is HIV positive. I was open with my daughter and she already understood.
She was our treatment buddy and would remind us to take treatment.
"Aged 17, we started to talk to her about dating, telling her that she needed to be open about her status. I am glad that she found someone who accepted her.
"Her fiancé's family came through. I informed them about my daughter's HIV status and they disclosed that their son was also HIV positive. They are now happily married.
"We are proud grandparents and all our grandchildren are HIV negative. My daughter and son-in-law are virally suppressed and we talk of our health issues in a free manner. We do not hide our tablets. I give health talks at my school and I encourage everyone to know there HIV status," said Mr Maringwa.
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He highlighted the dangers of defaulting on medication.
"In the rural areas, we have irresponsible 'self-appointed-doctors'called Tsikamutanda. They are purporting to be health experts, and they also point to any health challenge as witchcraft. There are also fake prophets. Their effect is massive.
"They claim that by faith, a true believer can be healed. As a result, people stop taking their medication. Some even die because of this," said he said.
Mr Maringwa has immortalised his life journey in a book.
"I have written a book to immortalise my journey - testing HIV positive, surviving TB and breaking stigma barriers.
However, the book is yet to be published," said Mr Maringwa.
Professor Paul Mavhima, who was standing in for the Minister of Health and Child Care, pledged to help Mr Maringwa to ensure that the book is published.
