WEEP Success - Jane Akinyi’s story

Lynn Adrian, Mary Lou and Jane Akinyi
enjoy a photo moment with WEEP alumni

Jane Akinyi’s story is one of resolve and brilliance. Jane got married in 1994 and has two children. By the time she was getting married, she was working at Export processing zone in Nairobi as a driver. It is not until the year 2000 that she got too sick. When she went to the hospital, she positive for HIV, immediately, her husband deserted her. This was her first encounter with stigma. At the time she was very weak, she had a CD4 cell count of 150 and was on TB drugs. 

Jane took a while to accept her status leave alone disclose it. This was mostly due to stigma HIV positive people faced. Due to her being weak, she could not continue with excellent performance at work and this led to her getting dismissed. This did not kill her spirit as she embarked on a vegetable selling business for her sustenance. This venture failed after she started developing rashes on her skin. Customers avoided buying from her shop for fear of contacting disease. It wasn’t long before she got bed ridden and had to disclose her status to her family. As her condition got worse her family was readying for her funeral and even went ahead to buy a coffin for her imminent death. Jane wasn’t done living…

Jane met Gladys (Kibera WEEP Center coordinator), in 2005 through a friend and later in May that year she met Vickie. She then enrolled into the WEEP program and recied anti retro-viral therapy which saw get strong enough. She then went through skill training. She confesses that the most important training was the business training she received. 

After graduation she went into small fish business and is now supplying local supermarkets. She plans to venture into importing the fish to foreign markets. Jane Akinyi continues to inspire women living with HIV/AIDS. Such is the impact the support you give HEART has!!!