I Mean HIV
by Toni Payne
A
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Toni Payne is a Nigerian entertainment publicist and poet who seeks to create awareness about HIV through poetry and music. Her poem, “I mean HIV” is “conscious poetry” seeks to educate others about the virus and disease. The poem seeks to educate not only so others will listen, but also so they will take action, because “talking about HIV does not make one immune to it.” I mean HIV employs relatable scenarios to make HIV a less touchy subject among Nigerians.
I
I MEAN HIV
Read by Jaewon
Life so unpredictable
Let me tell you a story
of a family divided
that was once united
Seemed like a little error
but it contributed to that family’s terror
You see, it was his dad that cheated
but didn’t do what was needed
He caught the virus
I mean HIV
His life went on
gave it to his mom
5 years later
they were both gone
It’s sad to see
this kid left alone
his world torn apart
by a killer disease
caused by HIV
As I strolled through the streets
Abokis are working
cutting and clipping
tainted tools, don’t be a fooled
he cut the man once
then it dawned on him
that blade he used
might have been abused
Months go by
a simple checkup, he fast realized
he caught the virus
I mean HIV
Where does he start
his life torn apart
by a killer disease
caused by HIV
A little girl born
her mom knew she had it
She didn’t seek help
and passed it along
The stigma is there
but life doesn’t end there
She grows into that woman
that managed the disease
She teaches and mentors
about the infection
create awareness
about the fact and the fiction
with love and support
surrounded by self-education
she lived her life
with this virus called HIV
Having HIV is not the end of the world
a lot of education
and simple precautions
to be very cautious
to avoid the virus
called HIV
It’s self-explanatory
a virus that could turn into a disease
that takes your glory
A disease called AIDS? Yes! I mean HIV
T
THEMES
The Impact of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic on Children
​
Over the past three decades, an estimated 17 million children have lost one or both parents as a result of AIDS. Ninety percent of these children are from sub-Saharan Africa[1], leading to what has been described as an “orphaned generation of children” in the region[2].
In 2015, an estimated 1.8 children under the age of 15 years were living with HIV, yet only 49% had access to necessary treatment. During this same year, 400 children a day were newly infected with HIV, resulting in 150,000 new infections. On average, in 2015 290 children died of AIDS-related illnesses every day[3].
Various organizations and international agencies have worked to support orphaned and HIV positive children. From educational initiatives to treatment services, these efforts have served as an important source of protection and stability for vulnerable children. However, while great strides have been made there is still significant work to be done.
[1] “Orphans and Vulnerable Children Affected by HIV and AIDS,” accessed December 3, 2016, https://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/global-health/hiv-and-aids/technical-areas/orphans-and-vulnerable-children-affected-hiv.
[2] The United Nations Children’s Defense Fund (UNICEF), “Africa’s Orphaned Generations,” November 2003, https://www.unicef.org/sowc06/pdfs/africas_orphans.pdf.
[3] UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, “Children and HIV Fact Sheet,” 2015.