Margaret Ogola

Margaret Ogola

Margaret Ogola is a busy woman, tending to her new goats, running her new hair salon business, and raising her three HIV-infected children.
Even though Margaret is busy, her life is less stressful than before. As an HIV positive woman, she was faced with the physical hardships associated with the disease, plus the worry of caring for her infected children. Already a significant burden, living with HIV/AIDS in Africa is complicated even further by the attached social stigma. Misunderstanding of the causes of HIV has led to cultural myths stamping people with HIV/AIDS as social outsiders. Margaret’s discrimination made it difficult to earn a living or receive support for her and her children.

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Upon seeing Margaret’s poor circumstances, CAP/AIDS-Uganda chose her for HIV Prevention training. The program focused on prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS, but also taught her how to manage and fight discrimination. Now empowered to take on those social challenges, she was then given goats and start-up capital for her salon. With a stable livelihood, Margaret is proud of her new life, saying “I have my salon, I have my customers, I have also my record book I am going to give you to see. I am very grateful.” With the support given by CAP/AIDS, Margaret is able live a normal life with HIV.

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