La donna del "Millennium" (Microcredito - RF) 
smiles sweetly Wurku Almaz, while shaking strong in his hands the book of the bank account of Millennium, the association of people afflicted with HIV in part: she is indeed one of the beneficiaries of revolving fund (revolving fund) that the office of the Injibara CVM has started in that city to help some people with AIDS who were in critical condition. That book shows that he received money well invested and that is working to return the full amount, 1,200 ETB (about 57 €), within ten months. That loan was crucial for her to get up after a series of mishaps, her two daughters to care and respond to all the tricks that life did. It has caused a lot of face and his dark eyes hint at it clearly, as we speak, however, appears calm. I can smile and dig up a terrible time with a serenity and a willingness to strike, may have learned to live with the heavy past, decided that perhaps it is time to stop suffering and seize the good opportunities that are offered at last to change the course of his life.
Almaz has about thirty-four, but she seems much more, is originally from Bahir Dar, capital of Amhara region, about two hundred kilometers from Injibara. He lost when he was ten years old and up to eighteen lived with a wealthy uncle who took care of her, allowing her to study: "My parents were elderly and sick, I do not know the cause of their death. At that time there was not much information on diseases and HIV no one knew practically nothing. After they died, I moved to my uncle and there he started going to school, I got to the ninth grade (which means that it has completed primary education and began the second school level, has virtually stopped studying at the moment when she got married). He was good with me and there were no problems ". When he was eighteen, a man much older than her, about thirty-six, courted her and she and her uncle agreed, and the marriage according to the traditional rite, which consists of writing an agreement in the presence of scimaghilli ( the elderly highly respected in the community), was celebrated in Bahir Dar, but the couple moved to live in Injibara, origin of man. "I was glad to marry him I liked. But soon the problems began and everything changed " says looking up with an expression that is a mix between a smile and a grimace of resignation. Her husband was a merchant and was often full days to work in other places, it was probably during one of those trips that he met the woman with whom a relationship outside marriage and gave birth to a son. At first Almaz did not realize what was happening, then began to get suspicious because the man's absences were getting longer and he was ever more reluctant to give money to the home and in the meantime the two daughters who were born from their union, and Emawayusm Wurkinhe Wusitina Belay. The latter changed his last name because his father disappointed that he never dealt with them.
That husband who disappeared more often and not help her Almaz almost never pushed to investigate, asking for information to acquaintances and friends learned that the man had another woman who was with her and that she spent much of his time. A terrible discovery that deeply wounded (...). Thus, in the twinkling of an eye Almaz found herself alone, without property and money, and with two young daughters in deal. She did not let himself be overwhelmed by those complications, he rented a small house at 40 ETB and tried to gain some 'doing the laundry and preparing enjera to sell to neighbors. In exchange for the latter, if he could, gave her more than the money due it as something to eat even pay for her daughters. They were not easy times for the woman, recalling, however, discloses no complaints, anger or self-pity, but the conscious acceptance of his situation: "It ra very difficult to cover all expenses and unfortunately I could not send my daughters to school but I had no other options ". (...)
Almost two years ago, thinking to improve his situation and also recommended by neighbors, Almaz decided to join back to a man. Now almost six years had passed since he had finished his first marriage and find a husband could be the solution to their economic problems. "This man asked me to marry me and my neighbors suggested that he went to live with the rent money I saved, and together, both working, we would have more money for our needs and those of my daughters. In truth I loved him but could actually be a way to improve my " admits without shame. He was a widower and she knew what the first wife had died in childbirth. But perhaps this was not exactly the truth and Almaz was soon to deal with another problem, bigger than those addressed so far.
After a few months into the relationship with this man, in fact, began to feel some discomfort, continuous headaches and severe abdominal pain. Since the noise is not subsiding, Almaz was confronted by a woman suffering from HIV and decided to undergo blood analysis, but unfortunately his suspicions were correct: he had contracted the AIDS virus. When I discovered my first thought was for his daughters, was desperate idea that they too could be positive: "I left the outpatient center where I had given the test results and made all the way back home with the fear that had infected, because they are not separated shear instruments such as needles and scissors. It was to them that I was worried at that time, not so much to me. I decided that they should do the test immediately, the day after. That night I lay awake, fear for my daughters did not let me sleep. When I gave them the news broke out into tears, but tried to reassure them. After they did the blood tests reassure us a little 'why were negative and I told them that I do not have to worry about, but we had to use immediately precautions taken as separate instruments shear that I seek from their ". Almaz was not a tabula rasa on HIV as many of his peers, in fact had a fair knowledge of the virus through a course on basic home care later when he was in Bahir Dar: "I had attended a training. In truth I wanted to take the sick people, in fact it scared me a bit ', but in the Kebele looking for volunteers for that course I accepted and paid for " admits shame after a series of vacillation and attempts to put forward different reasons. Learned during those meetings helped him a bit 'so hard to deal with the discovery to swallow, but not much relieved the sorrow that was causing the terrible truth. The question that tormented her, then, was tied to how she contracted the virus from the outset and did not have big doubts "It was my second husband to pass it on, I'm sure. At first I was negative, I had already made the test ", states with the usual air calm and helpful. Almaz was in fact subjected to the analysis of blood three more times: when she attended the course on HIV, at a meeting of women and after her divorce from first husband when she discovered that he cheated on her. It was always negative. Then the thought ran back to the history of the first wife of her companion "When someone you know told me he suspected that she had died of HIV and non-partisan, I was worried but then I asked for clarification from my mother-in-law and she had confirmed the release of my husband and I had not done test. When she discovered my status I was angry, shocked and I was reminded of that story. I began to wonder why I had met the man. I was desperate because I knew that before being with him I was not sick ". To confirm his hypothesis was the attitude of the man who stubbornly refused to undergo the test, she immediately asked him but he never accepted, arguing that it was the first husband of Almaz to infect and that his blood, however, was hardly a group that is attacked by the virus. The news of the disease and the response of the grumpy husband drove Almaz to leave home, to leave it for the umpteenth time and start a life alone with her children. The memories of those days are a bit 'soft as well as the thoughts that crossed my mind at the time of loss and confusion "If he was really bad it was right that there is a woman is not sick, so it was better than us left ", says at first and then added: " In his face there were signs of HIV and I am convinced that before he was HIV positive. It was he infecting ", states looking upwards and raising her voice.
So about a year ago, Almaz has returned back to live alone with her daughters remaining trading with corn, By taking on credit and selling large quantities to the market. Unfortunately, their economic situation was more than critical, that activity could not take off and thus guaranteeing a fixed and decent, they were forced to live in poverty, often without the resources necessary even for two meals a day, sometimes reduced to eating only kolo (roasted mixed nuts and cereals). "Sometimes my daughter helped me to wash clothes when they went to class so we could make more money, but they were never enough. Also for school supplies often there was no money and was forced to ask for loans and favors continuing the neighbors' .
Five months ago the case, however, have begun to turn the right way and for her and her daughters opened a chink of light through better understanding of the course on HIV made at the time has come I know of the existence of the association and the Millennium began dating. She was then selected to attend a course on managing money and starting businesses and was granted a loan of 1,200 ETB, to be repaid within eleven months. When you have paid the entire amount, that money will be delivered to another woman in her own terms. With that loan could increase its activity: "Before I was forced to take on credit at the dealers Injibara corn at high prices, selling it to us forded little, two or three pounds to ETB. Now I can buy it from provisioners in other areas because I can pay when they buy, so I take it into places where you pay less and selling more than the gain is: 20 ETB a quintal. In this way I ensure my business revenue much higher " says in detail, stating that this enables it to meet the needs of his family, without asking for help in continuing to neighbors. Now they have enough food and is able to cover the costs of education and Emawayusm Wusitina, said with a smile. Being part of that association did not want to say to you only receive a sum of money, but also have a reference point to turn to, someone to share the difficulties, especially those related to the virus that is affected.
"Being part of Millennium - said while he continues to rub the bank book - allowed me to get in touch with tante persone come me, malate di HIV. Prima ne conoscevo poche. All’inizio mi sentivo sola, come se fossi l’unica con l’AIDS, ora so che non è così” . Il futuro non la preoccupa molto, grazie al corso fatto sa come deve comportarsi e a dire il vero non è stata oggetto neanche di forti discriminazioni, questo le dà un po’ di sicurezza. L’aver inoltre accertato che le sue figlie sono sane è la cosa che più conta per lei. “Ora prendo le medicine anti-retrovirali e sto meglio. La mia maggior preoccupazione era per loro, ora che sono sicura che stanno bene non ho paura per l’avvenire” , ribatte seria. Tanta forza e fiducia arriva anche dal fatto che la sua business is going well, is confident that will return all the debt on time: "I have already begun to pay. If you will return the full amount, perhaps in the future, CVM will be willing to help me again and I can qualify for another loan. The idea would be to open a small restaurant . His dream into reality would be to return to live in Bahir Dar, but he knows that for her there would be impossible because everything is more expensive, so he decided to remain at Injibara and try to rebuild his life after all the awful vicissitudes that have affected.
Camilla Corradini (Voluntary CVM - Ethiopia)
