My Dreams: Stories of children and HIV impacts in Zimbabwe

The first step for anyone dealing with pain, trauma or difficulty is to be able to talk about it, and so My Dreams is the start of the journey of healing.

My Dreams are the stories of children and young people coping with the impacts of HIV and AIDS on their lives. They are stories of hope, courage, strength and determination. The young people talk about their difficulties, but they also talk about their aspirations and how they are determined to succeed in their studies so they can realise their dreams, even under the most difficult of circumstances. The children have spoken from their hearts and their stories are told very simply and yet powerfully so that we can all gain an insight into the difficult situations they have to deal with.

These stories highlight the challenges faced by children and young people living with HIV. This book is aimed at those working with communities, to help them encourage and support children and young people in their communities. My Dreams will inspire other children and people living with HIV to realise that being HIV positive is not a death sentence and that they are not alone. Dreams can be fulfilled and ambitions can be pursued.

At the end of each chapter there are recommendations to help young people, community members and support groups. These stories are arranged into seven chapters that capture the main concerns highlighted by the children and young people interviewed. Each young person’s  story is first told in English and on the following page in Shona. The terms children and young people are used interchangeably within this book.