world aids day – HIV stigmafighter

With us NOW!

1 December 202310 February 2025hivstigmafighter

Hello my lovely people,

Today we are celebrating World AIDS day. Being part of the HIV community I try to contribute in as many ways as possible to fight HIV stigma and discrimination. So as HIV Stigmafighter you can see me connecting and speaking up digitally and physically, globally and locally.

This year’s theme is ‘Let Communities Lead’. As regular readers know, in previous blogs I have been pointing out how important it is to be part of thriving local communities and making sure that our achievements are shared and celebrated at the global level as well to continue inspiring eachother in our fight against HIV stigma and discrimination.

I am very proud of my close connection to the Irish HIV community. My first contribution as HIV Stigmafighter to the Irish community was last year when I was part of a photo exhibition on people living with HIV, organised by Steven Doyle, joined Robbie Lawlor’s and Lady Veda’s Pozvibe podcast, and attended the HIV Ireland conference.

Fun at the Pozvibe podcast with Robbie & Veda

Ireland here I come (Photo: Sil-Hong Won)

Today I am proudly joining the Irish community as Eric the dragking ‘a colourful black ray, stomping stigma away’ at the famous The George nightclub in Dublin! Being part of this amazing entourage already earned me the title of Irish talent.

On stage I am excited to join artist and activist Luis Noguera which is a very special moment as Luis is also our newest Hero of Hope on our Stories of Hope platform. Please read Luis’ touching story of overcoming HIV stigma and shame!

To me these past two year of working with the Irish HIV community to fight HIV stigma in so many creative ways is a very good example of how local HIV communities should lead our global drive to fight HIV stigma. We need our partners to seriously listen to us to make sure that addressing our challenges, ideas and solutions are made core in global and local HIV action.

Peace,

Eliane

Inyambo STARS on WAD2021

8 December 20218 March 2025hivstigmafighter

On Saturday 4 December 2021, I helped Inyambo STARS to organise a local event to celebrate World AIDS Day. This was a day to show their community why they are true talents, showing their fashion skills AND committed to helping their community, especially supporting vulnerable people living with HIV in Gihanga, Burundi.

Inyambo STARS, RBP+ ( Reseau Burundais des Personnes vivant avec le VIH) with indonongo.org support, organised a total of three activities. And as large gatherings were not allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they really had to show their improvisation skills this time around!

The day started with a great Burundian tradition called Ibikorwa Rusangi, community work. All over the country, every Saturday morning from 8h00 the people of Burundi contribute collectively to keeping our community healthy and promoting good cross-cultural relations. They were joined by their parents, local representatives, shopkeepers and other community members.

Really, there is no way Inyambo STARS can perform their arts without maintaining good relations and giving back to their community. I know this gave them a lot of inspiration to stay connected and work together as one. What a great opportunity to connect the community of Gihanga to fighting HIV stigma in our country.

After Ibikorwa Rusangi, Inyambo STARS, a selection of people living with HIV and partners, marched together through Gihanga in solidarity with people living with HIV and to raise awareness on this year’s World AIDS Day theme: “End AIDS, end inequalities , end pandemics”. Did you know that in Gihanga there are 246 people living with HIV, 84 men and 162 women? Of them 29 are younger than 29 years, of which 8 boys and 21 girls.

Yes, normally Inyambo STARS would now have done a fashion show or catwalk, but I do believe this March together with people living with HIV did really help them to unify with the HIV community.

They closed the day by expressing solidarity and support to vulnerable people living with HIV. The cordinator of RBP+ reinforced the message to the community of the importance of staying on medication and going to the health centre for regular check-ups. She also called upon pregnant women to do a HIV test so they can detect any new HIV cases to prevent neonatal HIV.

Helping Inyanmbo STARS and their partners to support people living with HIV in Gihanga during World AIDS Day, inspires me a lot and gives me so much positive energy to continue making impact in my community of Gihanga and possibly in the whole of Burundi.

Peace, Eliane

A big applause to the real STARS of the day!

Photo impression – Stop HIV stigma Show

7 December 20208 March 2025hivstigmafighter

Last Saturday 5 December I organised the “Stop HIV stigma Show” in my hometown, Gihanga, Burundi. I believe that by organising these type of events that one day my dream will come true: To defeat HIV stigma in our community! Here you find an impression of this beautiful day.

Pictures of this day are made courtesy of Ingabire Media and Chouman. Enjoy! Peace, Eliane

Here are a few pictures of the fashion show organised by the lovely people of the Fit Fashion Fire Team:

There was a lot of entertainment as well. Multi-talent Bryere in a traditional outfit playing the igondera, gifted Devie with a beautiful HIV stigmafighter button, the brilliant girls of Amazing Team, a group of awesome visuallly impaired singers from Lycee Kanura Band, a young performer from Fit Fashion Fire Team, and our two enthousiastic MCs Emi-Bravo and Chadou:

Then there was lots of important speakers during the event. The co-organiser Irene Kundubumwe, the representative of the network for people living with HIV in Bubanza Province Madame Kanyana Daphrose, national association of young people living with HIV Nshimirimana Salvator and Chantal Mbonankira

And to finish this beautiful photo impression, here you see my Batwa friends posing in front of the banner for the show. These were my real guests of honour and had a well deserved frontrow seat during this amazing day in Gihanga. Mwarakoze!

Let’s get back on track!

1 December 20208 March 2025hivstigmafighter

It is 1 December, WORLD AIDS DAY, and this year’s theme is “Global solidarity, resilient services”.

The world has known a rough year because of covid-19. And this has sometimes made us forget about the fight to end HIV and AIDS by 2030. I would like to take this moment to bring our fight back to the communities that need access to health services most, for example our Batwa, indigenous people in Burundi.