Christine Akankwasa, like Margret Kobusingye, is single but struggling to find a partner. The two women are HIV positive.

In her 40s, Christine is beautiful and full of cheer. Rather than retreat into herself and indulge in self-pity, Christine has joined an HIV singles club.

Akankwasa says before joining the club she had an unpleasant relationship following the death of her first husband.

Christine was once in a relationship with an HIV-negative partner but quit after seven years. She left with an HIV negative child, thanks to prevention of mother to child transmission (PMCT).

Twenty-four-year old Kobusingye Margret was raped at the age of 14, resulting in HIV infection and a pregnancy. For years, she lived a recluse. Her attempt to break away from a lonely life led her into a discordant relationship, she says.

“It is coming to four years since I was last in a relationship, but joining this club is easing matters for me because I can freely discuss issues with people who understand my problems,” Ms. Kobusingye said.

Clinics, orphans and the aged

Founded by the Catholic Church, Reach Out Mbuya (ROM) of Mbuya parish in Nakawa division Kampala serves the interests of HIV positive adults only. ROM not only runs HIV clinics, but also supports orphans in education and the aged affected by HIV.

But, in ROM’s counselling sessions, a social problem was emerging: A need for lifelong partners. ROM saw this as an opportunity to help fight HIV in another way as most of the clients were seeking HIV-positive partners.

And the club, now in its sixth month, was born.

The club’s ultimate goal is to find lasting relations for its members as a means to fight the spread of HIV.
Joining the membership is strictly based on two conditions: That one is HIV-positive and not married. “HIV positive persons are more comfortable associating among themselves as opposed to when they are amidst negative persons,” said Emma Bakka, chairman of the singles club.

According to Bakka, HIV-positive persons have suffered from stigma in silence, but the club has helped them to understand that they can live longer with partners who understand and share common problems and, importantly, hiding their status is self-stigmatisation.

HIV infections

In helping members find a positive partner, the club’s mission is to ultimately reduce HIV infections within communities, reduce intentional HIV infection of negative partners and live longer due to proper drugs adherence.

In 2014, Uganda criminalised intentional HIV infection when it enacted the anti-HIV law.  Several members have found partners and ROM’s co-ordination office jointly with the club’s leadership is carrying out due diligence to ascertain the marital statuses of each couple, family background and relevant information before the relationships are formalised.  
The singles club approach to tackling HIV, though not an official government position, can help in lowering new infections.