False names are used to present these stories of people living with HIV in Myanmar. The article says this will 'strengthen their identities'.

The source site is an aggregator and it looks like these stories were translated from another language. Do you think it was Burmese? Maybe Vietnamese? It has produced some interesting turns of phrase.

Some of the photographs are tasteful and present positive images of people living with the virus.

[him] moderator

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HIV stories from treatment-scarce Myanmar
Hung Vu
August 03, 2012

YANGON, Myanmar — At final week’s International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC, new parliamentarian Aung San Suu Kyi asked representatives from around a universe for assistance in building a network within Myanmar, also famous as Burma, to assistance forestall and provide HIV/AIDS.

“We need to make a people know widely that this is a problem that we can hoop together,” she pronounced around video feed. “Teach us how we in Burma competence rise village responses to HIV/AIDS.”

For decades, a troops junta that ruled Myanmar neglected a health caring complement on a whole and shunned HIV/AIDS sufferers in particular. As GlobalPost’s Hanna Ingber reported in July, a regime “arrested AIDS activists, blocked charitable activities and actively discriminated opposite those with HIV.”

Stigma opposite HIV-positive people is still prevalent and diagnosis stays so formidable to get that 20,000 die any year for miss of HIV drugs, nonetheless Suu Kyi’s difference prove a change in proceed by Myanmar’s supervision toward HIV/AIDS.

In Dec 2011, VII Photo Agency co-founder Gary Knight trafficked to Myanmar to news on HIV patients during a Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Yangon Project housed during a Thazin Clinic.

The testimonies of these patients, whose names are pseudonymns to strengthen their identities, simulate a energy of antiretroviral therapy (ART), a governmental cost of infection and a thankfulness of those propitious adequate to accept treatment.

Name: Zaw Lin
Age: 33
Profession: Unemployed

I found out we was HIV-positive when my child was exceedingly ill in a sanatorium and a alloy suggested that my mother and we should take a blood exam as well.

When we found out a HIV status, we dared not let others know. We sought to solve it ourselves in secret. We couldn’t work anymore. We were depressed. Our days were doomed. we sole my properties during irrational prices and stayed divided from others. Sometimes, we didn’t even have adequate income to go to a hospital. we waited for a day we would die.

After a genocide of my tiny child, some of friends speedy me to come to a Thazin Clinic. Since a 27th of Dec 2009, we started to take CD4(156) and antiretroviral therapy (ART). we was pang a lot during that time as we was holding this in further to anti-tuberculosis medicine.

Currently, we face many difficulties. we don’t have unchanging income given we don’t have a job. But we know we can overcome these obstacles by enlivening and reminding myself not to give up.

My health condition is removing improved from a diagnosis we accept during Thazin Clinic and thankfulness of a doctors. we am now prepared to work again, nonetheless we would cite to attend in amicable use for HIV/AIDS projects.

Name: Zin May Khine
Age: 36
Profession: Housewife

My family used to live happily. Unfortunately, there were sores that seemed on my initial son’s skin in Jul 2002. He was losing weight in comparison to a other children his age so we took him to a Mother and Child Care Association to make a required checkup. According to a biopsy outcome during a private clinic, my son has a illness of carrying most white blood cells (leukemia).

My father loves tattoos, so he tattooed his swell in Sep 2003. Afterwards, some sores seemed on him as well. we got putrescent given we indispensable to take caring of a sores. After giving birth to my second daughter in 2005, my conditions turn worse. we took a blood exam in 2005 during Thazin nonetheless we didn’t go to get a result. My conditions became worse in 2006 so we went to Thazin again.

I told them that we took a blood exam once, nonetheless we had not checked my outcome yet. They gave me a result. It was during that time that we knew we was HIV-positive. we felt so forward and small. All a members of my family took a blood exam and a formula showed that all of us were infected. we was repelled and fearful of everything. we got vexed and even attempted to dedicate suicide.

But later, we took ART from MSF and we gained bravery to face everything. we have been receiving a ART diagnosis given 2008. The diagnosis has altered my life, we am now means to keep sideways with other people in my work. we am starting to live my life full of consciousness. we feel that we can overcome anything by watchful patiently for my children’s future.

Name: Naing Lin Soe
Age: 39
Profession: Vender

I’ve famous that we am HIV-positive given Oct 2010, when we took a blood exam for a module “Sending a sons of aged army officers to Malaysia.”

I have faced many problems given of my HIV status. As shortly as a troops found out that we was putrescent HIV virus, they un-enlisted me. we was dismissed from a post of supervision service. Then we warranted my vital as a trishaw driver, nonetheless my left palm was totally dejected given of a automobile collision and we indispensable an operation.

Now we am offered chilies during Da-Nyin-Gone market. My business is not doing unequivocally good these days given of high prices. Having tiny investment in a nation is one of a factors. And we have many health problems.

I have dual sons who attend a supervision propagandize with a assistance of Phoenix Association. we worry for their lives and their education. we am divorced from my mother and my sons are vital with their aunt.

But now we am holding a diagnosis during Thazin Clinic, Ward B. we have been receiving a diagnosis for 4 years now. Because of a treatment, we can still survive. we can do my possess business and take caring of my health by myself. we can also take caring of my children.

For a future, we am formulation to build my business offered chilies.

Name: Saw Yu Nwe
Age: 35
Profession: Volunteer

I found out we was HIV-positive after my husband’s genocide by holding a blood test. Because of my HIV status, we felt so tiny and dared not face a neighborhood.

I can overcome this by a mother’s welcome and a support of a doctors and staff of MSF.

There are a lot of problems that we face currently. My memory ability is shortening and it is tough for me to acquire a living. Even nonetheless my health condition is improving, we still have some health problems. It competence be due to me not holding medicines regularly.

I have been receiving ART for 7 years. Receiving a diagnosis has altered my life. My health condition is improved than before. we feel like we am reborn.

In a future, I’ll try to make my wishes come loyal and live healthy and peacefully. we also wish to give a palm and inspire those like me as most as we can.

Name: Ma Aye
Age: 35
Profession: Caretaker

I found out we was HIV-positive on Jul 12th, 2005. we found out from a blood test.

When we found out about my HIV status, many people criticized me. People were fearful that we would taint them if we visited them. They wouldn’t let me splash H2O during their homes. My sisters disturbed that their children would be putrescent if we stayed tighten to them. But we explained to them and let them review a pamphlets given from opposite organizations that they can not be putrescent in this way. They now comprehend what a genuine conditions is.

I have been receiving ART diagnosis given Dec 12th, 2006. Some changes have taken place given afterwards and we recovered from my health problems. we am so blissful that we have a possibility to demeanour after a patients who are pang a approach we am.

In a future, we intend to offer a village by auxiliary with people like me. It is also my wish that in a future, all patients who need medicine will have a possibility to get it for giveaway of charge.

Name: Nyein Chan Aye
Age: 31
Profession: Volunteer

I found out we was HIV-positive in 2008, when my daughter was in a hospital. She was hospitalized during initial given of TB, nonetheless we found out that she was also positive.

We cried each night, frightened that other people competence find out. Then my father and we took a blood exam and we found out that we were both putrescent as well. When we found out, we was fearful that we would be discriminated opposite by my family and siblings. we was tears all a time. we was vexed and we mislaid my confidence. we noted myself as shortly to die.

My daughter died in 2009. After her death, one of my friends who destined me to go to a Thazin Clinic. There we met a lot people like me. Through a conversing service, we came to comprehend that we can still live a prolonged life and that a illness can be tranquil by ART. we started volunteering in amicable services and vital some-more happily.

But everybody has their possess difficulties. we still have them too. we am a jobless and it is formidable for me to find work and compensate my let fees. we still can't find a job.

I haven’t perceived a ART diagnosis yet, nonetheless we was relieved by a counseling. Before, it was like we was watchful for my time to die given a syndrome felt so hopeless. Now, we know that a ART diagnosis can control a disease. The classification has also enabled me to be a volunteer. we assistance people like me as most as we can given we know a approach they feel. we now know how to live happily with myself.

In a future, I’m going to assistance people with a same condition as me and support their needs as most as we can.

Name: Nwe Nwe Win
Age: 40
Profession: Volunteer

Before, my father and we attempted live happily and healthily. We did not take any pill and never felt down. However, my father was dependant to cigarettes and did not eat most when he was working. He had malaria while operative in a countryside. Subsequently we found out that he had TB and had to take anti-TB drugs. The formula of his tests also showed that he had HIV. When we was attempting to present blood in 2001, we found out that we also was HIV-positive.

When we found out, my kin couldn’t accept a conditions and discriminated opposite me given of it. The doctors did not take caring for us or explain a cure. Eventually, my husband’s lungs were roughly half gone.

At some point, a roommate during a sanatorium suggested that we go to Thazin Clinic. we went to Thazin Clinic in Nov, 2010. Everyone gave us courtesy there. It has been one month given we started receiving ART treatment.

The diagnosis has altered my life. My health is removing better. we live like a normal person. we can also share my believe to those with a same health condition as me.

Currently we face problems in a clarity that we can't acquire and spend income like others. Though my father and we are infected, we are blissful that a son is not. we tryto be confident and not to give up. From now on, we will try to assistance those who are pang a approach we am.

My possess health has became improved not given of my kin and neighbors nonetheless given of Thazin Clinic. Now my kin accept my situation. we will uncover my thankfulness to a Thazin Clinic by operative as a proffer compartment we die.

In a future, we wish that each studious competence have adequate medicine to take.

Name: Tin Tin Maw
Age: 44
Profession: Volunteer

My name is Tin Tin Maw, we am 44 years aged and we work as a volunteer. I’ve famous I’ve been HIV-positive for 5 years. we found out when my father was hospitalized and had a blood test. The medicine asked me to have blood exam too.

I have encountered several problems given of my HIV status. My neighbors discriminated not usually opposite me, nonetheless also my children. They were even antipathetic when we attempted to hail them.

At first, we felt so undone and blamed my husband. Is this a illness that can be cured? Can we be cured? we had to consider a lot, nonetheless we could not let it out. we was pang scarcely one year until we asked for help. At that time we did not know that holding ART could keep me alive. My father was certified to a private sanatorium and indispensable to compensate for a medicine. But we did not take a pill as a prices of a medicine were unequivocally high during that time. we prioritized my husband. we did not go to any sanatorium or take any of a medicine. After a year, my father upheld divided and my health condition got worse. At that time, it was suggested that we go to Thazin Clinic.

The day after they urged, we went to Thazin Clinic where they let me have a medical checkup and gave a required treatment. After a certain duration we came to comprehend a significance of ART and holding medicine on time. My father died given he never took medicine on time. It’s been 5 years given we perceived ART treatment. The diagnosis has altered my life. we have stayed alive until now.

To overcome my difficulties, we changed to a new place. we knew that we would be vexed if we stayed. we try to live as a new chairman and take caring of myself. we try to assistance as most as we can in a applicable organizations and clinics we understanding with. we wish my health could be normal again. we intend to work again one day. In addition, we would like to volunteer.

In a future, we wish to attend in some anti-HIV/AIDS organizations. we so wish to welcome a patients who are putrescent with a virus. we unequivocally conclude all a physicians and counselors of Thazin Clinic for instructing me and my daughter to take a medicine handily.

http://hiv-aids-help.com/hiv-stories-from-treatment-scarce-myanmar.html
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/news/regions/asia-pacific/myanmar/hiv-stories-treatment-scarce-myanmar