Stella is very active in General Hospital Mararaba where she assesses her drugs and coordinates a support group of mothers supported by IHVN. She counsels mothers living with HIV and shares her experiences with them. She notes that pregnant women and mothers living with HIV are often afraid of death during delivery but she encourages them “I use myself as an example. I am positive but I have negative children.”

She knew of her positive status when she was pregnant in 2006. Her delivery was safe after receiving prevention-of-mother- to-child (PMTCT) services. “At six weeks, they tested my baby and he was negative” she says. Apart from this baby boy, she has had another baby who is also negative. She says that she is amazed that she did not pass HIV to them. They are her source of motivation “My children make me happy”.