December 2015
Faces of an Aids-free generation in Eastern and Southern Africa tells the stories of women in six countries in eastern and southern Africa—Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia— and their journey to motherhood. Their tales demonstrate their efforts to ensure children remain free from HIV infection and that their mothers stay alive and well.
The book, produced by UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, tells the inspiring stories of 12 mothers living with HIV and their children born free of the virus.
According to Unaids, by the end of 2014, an estimated 88% of pregnant women living with HIV in eastern and southern Africa were accessing services to stop them transmitting the virus to their children. This has resulted in a 60% decline in the number of HIV infections among children between 2009 and 2014, from 230 000 to 93 000.
Some testimonials of women portrayed in the book:
“The first time Gabriel proposed a relationship, I just had to tell him. I told him, ‘I may look healthy and cute, but the truth is this: I live with HIV.’ His answer shocked me. He said: ‘You told me your status. That means I can even trust you with big issues’.”—Memory Phiri, Zambia
