I need to know….

Getting tested was not a big deal for me. In fact I was curious. I wanted to know. I wanted to know my status and it felt so normal and cool. Like a million dollar dream, it was shattered into pieces

when the health officer asked why I wanted to know my status and if I am not afraid. Your guess is as good as mine. Really??? Did she really ask that? That’s interesting. Sadly, she did. For heaven’s sake it is my body and I deserve to know and learn about it.
Come to think of it, it is like pregnancy scare are more weightier than knowing your HIV status. Wow… Ghana for you but wait……. Is it only in Ghana? Is it not all over?

You probably have heard a lot about how the virus is transmitted but the truth is that there are only a few ways you can contract HIV.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths about how HIV is transmitted, which can get in the way of the facts and confuse people. It is not only through sex. Have you thought about the salons and barbering shops? I am very sure you will say they sterilise their machines but what about those who don’t do it at all or have faulty machines? How it is sterilised is another question. Ohhh!!! not forgetting about those “Gaogao” boys who work on the toes of some people. It is sadly interesting because these are random boys who have been using the same nail clippers on people for over a century😉. I am pretty sure about it. Have you thought about the liquid that is sprinkled on the toes? How safe is the health worker? This is just for our reflection.
It is totally fine to worry about the outcome of your test.
Never think HIV is an old news. It is on the rise again. It is real.
In 2018, the Ghana AIDS commission said the prevalence of HIV/AIDS amongst the country’s youth in 2017, particularly those below the age of 24 rose to about 45% nationwide. The Commission attributed the upsurge to unprotected sex as well as low knowledge of the youth about the infection.
In 2016 new HIV infections in Ghana went up by 70.15%. The figure increased from 12,000 new infection in 2015 to 20,418 in 2016. Ghana AIDS Commission report also revealed that in 2016, a total of 15,115 people in Ghana died of HIV and AIDS related illness. These numbers are on the rise.

Let’s be confident enough to get tested. Whether you are sexually active or not. You never know what your partner does behind doors in your absence or who the barbering machine has been used on.
Less talk about it in the media landscape does not mean it is extinct in our society. In fact it’s prevalent than before. Keep in mind that there are only a few ways you can get HIV.

– Know the facts and be aware of the risks so you can protect yourself and others.

– Testing is the only way to know for sure whether or not you have HIV. Whatever the result, you can get on with your life. Keep in mind HIV is not only through sex so get tested.

– Antiretroviral treatment (ART) means that people living with HIV can live long with healthy lives. The sooner you get on the right treatment, the better your long term health will be.

Get personal kits. You can get a nail clipper for as low as Ghc 1.
Ultimately, testing is the best. Testing positive is not the end of life.

It is relieving to know that Antiretroviral drugs are given for free at all hospitals in Ghana including the community, district, polyclinics, municipal and metropolitan centres. No money needed to get these drugs.
Always remember testing is not an end in itself. Testing saves lives.

Shoddy no wan marry

Kuukua Asante

Shoddy gree say make we marry

She talk say make we go see ein poppee

i gree

ein poppee say make me den my family come collect list.

we gree.

Dem say this be traditional marriage

bet the list say make we bring cloth from Holland

make we add whiskey from Scotland

Ei the gods sef demma taste go international

Dem say make we add bible, then ring, then hymnbook

ah I no dey bab sometin

when the gods then God tear one team?

why say dem no dey want GTP

Why say dem no go drink akpeteshie or palm wine sef

shoddy bore

she talk say I be controversial

wey I tell am say ibi she mmom dey live for denial inside

how you go do traditional marriage with wig from Brazil

then add shoes from Milan

I no dey want talk make up den oda tins sef

the…

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The Journey Continues….

via The Journey Continues….

LIBYA

via LIBYA

THE LOVE LANGUAGE

Source: THE LOVE LANGUAGE

IMMA JUST DO IT

Source: IMMA JUST DO IT

Walking down the Aisle

Source: Walking down the Aisle

Inevitable

I don’t understand why I wept uncontrollably this morning. Could it be the death of a relative? Maybe. Mena is a thirteen years old and I don’t know how she may go through this period. Even though she has not lived with her mother for four years, reality will definitely set in. Absence they say makes the heart grow fonder. I will never see my mother again I believe that’s her statement.

No mother to speak to when things seems tough. There is a saying that if your tooth is rotten it is still in your mouth and you cannot ignore it. That is a mother irrespective of who she is, she gave you birth. I am weeping, sad  and heartbroken than Mena. Why? Because even at my age I’m not old…..,I don’t know how I will come to terms with the loss of my parent. But there is nothing one can do if death lay its icy hands on you. Death is inevitable. As a student rightly wrote ” I will imprison death forever” because he doesn’t want to lose his loved ones.

A thirteen years old boy was sobbing uncontrollably because he couldn’t take part in an assignment all due to lack of resources. ” Go and call your mother” that was my statement. His response: my mother is dead. I just flipped what the hell is death that its takes people and makes them vulnerable to a whole lot of challenges. I believe if his mother was alive she could have supported his husband to provide his needs. I know the world cannot contain everyone if there was no death. The unexpected nature of death hitting us is what makes us to ask a lot of questions.

No one is ever prepared for death but who is ever prepared for it? Can we ever prepare for the death of our loved ones? This is a big NO. It is one aspect of life that we cannot live without. “How I wish death could be jailed for life”. May all the departed souls especially in 2016 sleep peacefully . Rest well till we meet again.

The Ghana I desire…..

Peace is a universal language. Everyone yearns for a certain level of it at one point in life. I believe Peace should be the mantra for every human being but not to wait when it is threatened. Some…

Source: The Ghana I desire…..

The Ghana I desire…..

Peace is a universal language. Everyone yearns for a certain level of it at one point in life. I believe Peace should be the mantra for every human being but not to wait when it is threatened. Some Ghanaian tend to talk about issues when it is very close and the reason being, the closer, the hotter. I really don’t buy into the idea of last minute show.

Why do we have to wait as a Nation to talk about Peace only on election year? Well, some Pastors are always talking about it in their individual churches but what happens to those who don’t get the opportunity to listen to these sermons?

I believe people can relate better to situations when they have fore knowledge of it or educated prior to it.

Sorry to the “not so television” people but I was privy to watch television on Easter Sunday and surprisingly the journalists captured a lot of Pastors who were speaking on Peace. I thought to myself that is really a good way of disseminating the “Peace” message across. The question is, are these Pastors educating their members on how to be Peaceful or they are just interested in proclaiming Peace? Are they telling us the exact things? Are they just proclaiming “be peaceful” or there is an assumption that we are all can make wise decisions.

Could it be that, being captured with a camera and televised on a national television is all they are interested in? Let’s live this topic for another day’s discussion.  I guess it’s a normal thing to expect since it’s an election year.

When will we stop this unnecessary pranks and rumors that disrupt the little harmony we have in the country? Some of these rumors are very serious and it brings a lot social unrest and instability. Tribal politics disrupts Peace because we tend to marginalize other tribes, which does not foster Peace but rather brings hatred and chaos among us.

I guess the wonderful picture of Peace we all imagine is violent free elections. Which is very good, but what happens after the elections?

This is not to open healed wounds but it’s a kind reminder of June 3^rd Disaster, the numerous cholera outbreaks, rampant teenage pregnancies, unemployment just to mention a few. I believe negative pictures come into memory when thoughts of these incidents pop up. Individuals’ Peace as well as the governments is disrupted.

Let’s us put aside our differences and form a united front of Peace, not just for election purposes but for the holistic development of our motherland Ghana.

As a matter of fact, elections are important and the only opportunity one has to exercise his or her franchise. As we do this let’s remember there is a bigger life after elections. After all, elections are just a day or two program depending on the outcome and life still goes on.