"Ayesha's Strength: Living with HIV in Hub"

Title: "Ayesha's Strength: Living with HIV in Hub"

In the dusty town of Hub, nestled near the border of Sindh and Balochistan, lived a bright, soft-spoken girl named Ayesha. She was just 17 years old and had dreams bigger than the narrow streets of her neighborhood. Ayesha was a top student in her school, passionate about science and eager to become a doctor one day. She believed that helping others was her purpose in life.

Ayesha lived with her parents and two younger siblings in a small rented house. Her father worked as a daily-wage laborer, and her mother stitched clothes to support the family. Despite financial struggles, Ayesha remained optimistic and focused on her studies. Her teachers admired her discipline, and her friends adored her kindness.

But in the winter of 2023, Ayesha’s life took a sudden turn.

She began to feel unwell—constant fatigue, recurring fevers, and painful mouth ulcers. At first, she ignored it, thinking it was just seasonal flu or exam stress. But when she started losing weight and getting sick more often, her worried mother took her to a clinic outside the town. The doctors ran several tests and advised more detailed blood work.

A week later, the results arrived. Ayesha had tested HIV positive.

At first, she didn’t understand what that meant. She had heard the term before in biology class but never imagined it would be written in her own medical file. Her mother stared at the doctor, frozen in shock, while her father stood silent.

“Is there some mistake?” her mother asked quietly.

But it was no mistake.

The doctor explained gently that HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that weakens the immune system. It is often misunderstood, especially in conservative societies like theirs. Ayesha had likely contracted it through a blood transfusion she had received two years earlier during a surgery after an accident. In many small towns, blood isn’t always properly screened.

The days that followed were some of the darkest in Ayesha’s life.

People in the neighborhood started whispering. Her school friends stopped calling. Even distant relatives began avoiding visits. The stigma was heavier than the illness itself. Some assumed she had done something “wrong,” not realizing that HIV can affect anyone, including innocent patients through unsafe medical practices.

But Ayesha didn’t give up.

With the support of her parents, she started antiretroviral therapy (ART) at a specialized center in Karachi. The doctors there gave her hope: "HIV is not the end. With proper treatment, you can live a long and healthy life." Those words lit a fire inside her.

Ayesha decided to fight—not just for herself, but for others like her who were suffering in silence. She began writing a blog under a fake name, sharing her journey, clearing myths, and educating others about HIV. Her blog slowly gained readers from all over Pakistan. She also joined an online support group for HIV-positive teens, where she finally found people who understood her pain and encouraged her strength.

She continued her studies through online classes and eventually completed high school with top grades. A year later, she applied to a nursing program and got accepted. Her goal had never changed—she still wanted to help others, and now she had a deeper reason to do so.

By the age of 21, Ayesha became a trained HIV counselor for a health NGO in Balochistan. She traveled to rural clinics, spoke to young girls, and educated communities about safe medical practices and the importance of testing. Most importantly, she showed them that an HIV-positive person can still live a meaningful, powerful life.

Many still judged her, but she no longer let shame silence her. Her voice had become her strength.

“I didn’t choose this,” she once said in an interview, “but I choose how I live with it—and I choose to live with hope.”