The Muslim News

Nairobi, (The Standard):

Ten years ago, Fariah Said would have earned the wrath of her community.

Then, Aids was not discussed among Muslim women. When it cropped up the tones were hushed.

"Infection was considered a result of adultery and women who got the virus were stigmatised. There were Aids related deaths but the subject was never discussed," says Fariah who holds a diploma in management.

Opening up

"I saw many women die, some of whom were friends. This bothered me very much, because I knew the price that would be paid for the silence," she says.

In 2006, she created a group, Assalam Muslim Women Forum (AMWF), in Kisumu where she lives.

"It was a hard task to convince women, some of whom have been taught to never discuss their problems in public, to join the group," she says. It was even tougher considering many women feared stigma if it were found out they were infected.

"Most of them learnt their status during pregnancy," says Fariah.

Close to 200 Muslim women living with the virus from different parts of the country have found solace in AMWF. Although she is not infected, she shares in the plight of women with the virus. Initially, Fariah says she faced resistance, but infected women are opening up more in AMWF forums.

"Generally, Muslim women do seek to know their Aids status. The scourge is viewed as a sin. And those living with it are said to have sinned," she says. Fariah says with three other women co-directors, they started assisting women living in informal settlements of Kisumu. "Most of these women never knew about their status and could not access Anti-retroviral drugs(ARVs)," says Fariah.

With their own saving they started income-generating activities for the women after convincing them to know their status.

"In Bandani and Kaloleni slums they started selling charcoal and chapati. We also trained them on home-based care.

Restored hope

Some of them were bed-ridden by then," says the 42-year-old woman. She says even after accessing ARVs in Government hospitals, the women lacked food supplements, which are a pre-requisite for the efficacy of the medicine.

Her organisation made the supplements available for the women.

One of AMWF beneficiaries, Asma Fwale, says after losing her husband three years ago, she lost hope. "But when a friend introduced me to Fariah, I found the strength to live. I now openly talk about my Aids status," says the mother of two.

USAid supports the group in training, advocacy and administration.

Fariah also says support from Imams has boosted her work.

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