TANZANIA: Having lived with HIV/aids virus for ten years Julius Kaaya wants the world to know there is life after aids by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro

Record ID: 293623

  • Title: TANZANIA: Having lived with HIV/aids virus for ten years Julius Kaaya wants the world to know there is life after aids by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
  • Date: 20th August 2003
  • Summary: (L!1) GEITA, TANZANIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) TRUCKS DIGGING THROUGH SOIL AT ESCAVATION SITE LORRIES LOADED WITH SOIL DRIVING OUT OF VALLEY PEOPLE TALKING OUTSIDE SHOP IN GEITA TOWN SIGNPOST ATOP BUILDING IN TOWN (SOUNDBITE)(Kiswahili) MOUNTAIN CLIMBER, JULIUS KAAYA SAYING: "I want to climb Kilimanjaro although it is a hard task, I don't really know what to expect." MAN CARRYING BACKPACK, BOARDING BUS JULIUS KAAYA CLIMBING INTO PACKED VEHICLE BUS DRIVING SLOWLY ON DIRT ROAD JULIUS KAAYA AND OTHER CLIMBERS SITTING IN BUS VARIOUS OF VEGETATION SEEN AS BUS SPEEDS OFF (L!1)KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) JULIUS KAAYA WRITING IN BOOK CLIMBERS HOLDING BANNER AND CHEERING VARIOUS OF MOUNTAINEERS WORKING THEIR WAY UP THE MOUNTAIN TWIGS AND BRANCHES DRIPPING WITH RAIN CLIMBERS SETTING CAMP ON THE KILIMANJARO MAN CARRYING PLATE OF FOOD IN THE RAIN MOUNTAINEERS RELAXING IN TENT EATING VARIOUS OF TENTS SPREAD OVER MOUNTAIN SIDE (SOUNDBITE)(Kiswahili) MOUNTAIN CLIMBER, JULIUS KAAYA SAYING: "I have been living near Mount Kilimanjaro but this is the first time I come here and to see how it really is, I have reached a wonderful place and I did not know that I could come so high up." JULIUS JOGGING UP AND DOWN ON STONY PATHWAY CLIMBERS WALKING IN LONG QUEUE UP THE MOUNTAIN MEN HIKING THROUGH BUSH AND SCRUB ON THE KILIMANJARO CLIMBERS CARRYING BACKPACKS ON MOUNT KILIMANJARO SNOWFLAKES FALLING ON ROCKY VALLEY HIKERS WALKING IN SNOW STORM (SOUNDBITE)(Kiswahili) MOUNTAIN CLIMBER, JULIUS KAAYA SAYING: "Many people thought living with Aids is bad and shameful, and it was also hard for me to live with my family. Once my family broke in my house and chased me away." CLIMBERS MARCHING UP KILIMANJARO MOUNTAIN MAN STRUGGLING TO CLIMB OVER ROCK AS OTHERS WAIT FOR HIM MOUNTAINEERS HOLDING WALKING STICKS ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE (SOUNDBITE)(Kiswahili) GEITA GOLD MINE EMPLOYEE, SADIK MVUMA SAYING: "It is wonderful because we've shared everything with Julius, sometimes we even shared water. The Tanzanian people should know that we can share everything, even tents. We should understand that even with HIV you can live a normal life." CLIMBERS HIKING IN THE DARK WEARING HELMETS WITH LIGHT BULBS MAN WALKING ON KILIMANJARO AT DAY BREAK VARIOUS OF CLIMBERS STROLLING ON THE MOUNT KILIMANJARO PEAK (SOUNDBITE)(Kiswahili) GEITA GOLD MINE EMPLOYEE, JOSEPH MANGILIMA SAYING: "When we started our journey, Julius was stronger than most of us. This is so good because he made us stronger and we think that now that we should go and be tested for HIV. Julius has been a very good example for all of us." CLOUDS ATOP THE PEAK OF THE KILIMANJARO CLIMBERS SCREAMING AND HOLDING BANNER AT PEAK OF KILIMANJARO BOOTS OF MAN WALKING ON SNOWED PATH CLOUDS SWIRLING AROUND MOUNTAIN KILIMANJARO JULIUS KAAYA WAVING HIS HANDS AROUND STANDING ON THE MOUNTAIN
  • Embargoed: 4th September 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GEITA AND MT. KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA
  • Country: Tanzania, United Republic of
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA95RK4FM0JYUPYE6GGWC8NSFEE
  • Story Text: Having lived with the HIV/AIDS virus for ten years, Tanzanian Julius Kaaya wants the world to know that there's life after AIDS. He's doing this by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and raising money.
    In the goldmines in Geita, in northern Tanzania, the men are hard at work, deep under the earth's surface.
    At the bus stop in town, an adventure high above the Tanzanian plains is about to begin.
    "I want to climb Kilimanjaro although it is a hard task, I don't really know what to expect, admits Julius Kaaya.
    Ten years ago, Julius lost his wife and new born baby.
    He found out that they had AIDS and that he was HIV positive.
    Last June, with about fifty members of Geita's mining community, he took part in the second Kilimanjaro challenge against AIDS. On the first day, fog and rain hang ove r the eighteen kilometre walk through the forest. By the time they arrive in the evening, the climbers are shattered but the cold and the mud make it hard to find a dry place to have dinner.
    The next day, the sun rises over Mount Meru, where Julius grew up.
    "I have been living near Mount Kilimanjaro but this is the first time I come here and to see how it really is, I have reached a wonderful place and I did not know that I could come so high up," he says.
    At forty, Julius has a new passion for life and physically, he's in good shape. He says that his biggest challenge is to accept himself again -- and his HIV positive status.
    Over ten percent of Tanzanians live with HIV-AIDS.
    They're often stigmatised, and live excluded from their society.
    "Many people thought living with Aids is bad and shameful, and it was also hard for me to live with my family. Once my family broke in my house and chased me away, Julius confesses.
    Slowly, the caravan of walkers winds its way through the rocks. Here, everyone solves problems together -- there's no room for prejudice and discrimination.
    "It is wonderful because we've shared everything with Julius, sometimes we even shared water. The Tanzanian people should know that we can share everything, even tents. We should understand that even with HIV you can live a normal life," says Sadik Mvuma, a Geita Gold Mine employee.
    On the seventh and last night, the climb comes to an end in total, it raised 100,000 dollars for the AIDS victims in the mining community.
    For those who took part, it was above all, a learning experience -- about AIDS, and themselves.
    Joseph Mangilima, another Geita Gold Mine employee explains, "when we started our journey, Julius was stronger than most of us. This is so good because he made us stronger and we think that now that we should go and be tested for HIV. Julius has been a very good example for all of us."
    Julius has shown everyone that it is possible for people to pull together and to be part of a community -- a big victory for him, and a message of hope to the many who share his fate.
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