Josephine Nabukenya is a Ugandan

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

activist who is also living with HIV/AIDS. She serves as a Stephen Lewis Foundation Youth program coordinator at

Makerere University Makerere University, Kampala (; Mak) is Uganda's largest and oldest institution of higher learning, first established as a technical school in 1922. It became an independent national university in 1970. Today, Makerere University is composed of ni ...

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

(MUJHU). She was awarded the Queen’s Young Leader Award in 2016 for her advocacy work. She is also an Ambassador at Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)'s Ariel Club. She is one of the young leaders who grew from being timid to a resilient and powerful young leader who encourages other children to live positively and take their pills.

Background life

Josephine Nabukenya lived with HIV from childhood but was not aware of her HIV status until she was eight years old when she came across a letter written by her mother that revealed to her the truth. Herself including her mother, father, and younger sister are all having HIV however both Josephine and her sister got infected at birth. When she made her health status public, she began seeking treatment. Josephine was introduced to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation’s Ariel Club shortly when she had begun an antiretroviral therapy at a local hospital. She later became an Ariel Club facilitator, leading sessions to help other children accept their own HIV status and seek the treatment they needed to stay healthy. During her time at Ariel, she used her story to help guide others to overcome the challenges of a life with HIV. She also used her confidence in the promise of her own life which grew stronger. As of today Josephine has continued to speak out as an Ambassador for EGPAF through her work with Ariel Clubs in

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

to speak in front of members of the U.S. Congress. Her story continues to inspires other people to learn about HIV and fight the stigma and discrimination around the disease. Josephine Nabukenya watched her mother, Margaret Lubega, battle with illness and she decided one day to go to

Mulago National Referral Hospital Mulago National Specialised Hospital, also known as Mulago National Referral Hospital, is a component of Mulago Hospital Complex, the teaching facility of Makerere University College of Health Sciences. It is the largest public hospital in Ug ...

where she asked to be tested. Although, she was too young to realise what was taking place and only recalls going to

and playing with children she found there as they shared cake and soft drinks. She started Young General Alive (YGA), an organisation that initially constituted Lubega, another mother and her child and another patient they had met at

Mulago hospital Mulago National Specialised Hospital, also known as Mulago National Referral Hospital, is a component of Mulago Hospital Complex, the teaching facility of Makerere University College of Health Sciences. It is the largest public hospital in Ug ...

during a visit. In 2005,

- Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration (Mujhu) helped them to formalise their group.

Education

She is a degree holder in Social Work from

in Uganda.

Career life

In 2005, under EGPAF, she represented children both infected and affected by HIV/aids in the US congress.

References

External links

Power Talks on YouTube by Josephine Nabukenya.Beyond Your Status: Thriving in Life in Spite of HIV Kindle Edition
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0Y4MgWm4MY
Josephine Nabukenya, dedicated campaigner for young people with HIV
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nabukenya, Josephine Year of birth missing (living people) Ugandan women journalists Makerere University alumni Ugandan HIV/AIDS activists Living people Ugandan women activists

Background life

Education

Career life

See also

References

External links