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Bannon Homa Bay Kenya img_9117.JPG
Jane, a former sex worker gave up prostitution and runs a small fish stand in Homa Bay, Kenya. .In her words:."When I started in this business of fish, there were so many of us. Competition was strong. Getting fish to sell was a problem. There were men admiring us and ready to sleep with you in broad daylight. There were women going along and they bought fish very easily. My husband was still alive and had no job. We had children. So it forced me to compromise for the daily bread..."If I look for the lives of my colleagues at that time, I cant see them. They have all died. When I realized I had the virus, I realized I would die if I continued living that way. With the ARVs, I knew I would live longer and it gave me a moment to plan. My husband was dead and I was alone. I needed to respect my children. I had to plan how I was going to live..."People understand things differently, they perceive things differently. I understood my life differently than others and decided to live it in my own way..."What I am trying to say to whoever will listen is that you must think strategically, especially if you are HIV positive. You have to think, 'Take care and not poison other people'. There is no reason to die early. Life is how you take it..."Treatment has changed my life and replaced despair with hope."