\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n Luli James hangs laundry in Inaro Village, Simiyu Region. \u00a9 Amref Tanzania. <\/strong><\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n In the quiet village of Inaro, in Itilima District of Tanzania\u2019s Simiyu Region, lives Luli James (not her real name) a devoted mother of five and a woman whose story speaks of courage, healing, and transformation. Diagnosed with HIV during her first pregnancy in 2005, Luli once faced the heavy burden of fear, stigma, and uncertainty. But today, she is not only a proud mother of an HIV-free babies she is also a community champion, supporting other women like her through the power of knowledge and care.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n But Luli\u2019s story took a hopeful turn when she was connected to a “Mama Kinara”, Agnes Bizulu a compassionate Community Health Worker (CHW) and peer educator empowered through the Afya Thabiti project, implemented by Amref Tanzania, through PEPFAR – U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) support.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n \u201cBefore I met Agness we call her “Mama Kinara”, A CHW, I felt alone and scared. I didn\u2019t know what the future held for me or my baby,\u201d Luli recalls. \u201cBut through CHW, I received care, love, and hope. I followed all the advice, attended my clinic visits, and took my medications regularly. And now, I have healthy, HIV free babies. I cannot express how happy I am.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n Through Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services offered under the U.S CDC Afya Thabiti project, Luli accessed integrated antenatal care, regular HIV monitoring, antiretroviral treatment, nutritional guidance, and continuous emotional support. These services empowered her not only to protect her child but also to manage her health with dignity.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n Agnes, herself living with HIV, has become a beacon of hope in the Itilima community. As a CHW, she has helped countless women like Luli access lifesaving information, build confidence, and break the silence around HIV. Through her guidance, Luli was linked to Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services offered as part of project holistic model of care.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n Luli received integrated antenatal care that included regular HIV check-ups, access to antiretroviral therapy, nutritional counseling, and emotional support tailored to mothers living with HIV. With Agnes by her side, she navigated her fourth and fifth pregnancies with renewed courage. Thanks to this dedicated care, Luli proudly gave birth to an HIV free babies a moment of triumph that embodies the true impact of PMTCT services.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n \u201cI was no longer alone. I had a Mama Kinara (CHW) who understood me, and I had a team that walked with me every step of the way,\u201d Luli shares.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n Agnes Bizulu (Right), CHW speaks with Luli James (Left) during a household visit in Inaro village, Itilima District Simiyu Region. \u00a9 Amref Tanzania.<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n Inspired by her experience, Luli has taken on a new role in her community as a voice of encouragement for other mothers facing the same challenges. She now shares her journey openly, urging women living with HIV to seek care and stay on treatment.<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n<\/p>\n \u201cI tell them, don\u2019t hide, don\u2019t be afraid. There is help, and there is hope. If I did it, you can too,\u201d Luli says proudly. \u201cThanks to the project, I am now helping other mothers to believe in themselves and do the right thing for their babies.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\n\n\n Agnes\u2019s role as a Mama Kinara reflects the deep impact of community based advocacy and peer support. Through capacity building sessions and mentorship provided by the Afya Thabiti project, she became a trusted voice in her village, leading open discussions about HIV, encouraging self-testing, and helping women adhere to treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThanks to the support of Amref Tanzania and its partners, I feel respected and proud to be a Mama Kinara. We are changing lives, one woman at a time,\u201d Agnes says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The U.S CDC Afya Thabiti project, implemented by Amref Tanzania and funded by PEPFAR through the U.S. CDC Tanzania, has brought transformative change to communities across Simiyu Region. By strengthening PMTCT services, empowering CHWs like Agnes, and ensuring mothers like Luli have access to integrated care, the project continues to create a future where every child has a healthy start and every mother is supported, valued, and empowered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Luli\u2019s Journey: A Healthy Start Through the Power of Care and Community Luli\u2019s Journey: A Healthy Start Through the Power of Care and Community Luli James hangs laundry in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":2498,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-2501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-success-stories"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/amref.org\/tanzania\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/5S1A3450-scaled.jpg","yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/amref.org\/tanzania\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/5S1A3433-1024x683.jpg\")
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