The inspirational journeys of people who are long-term survivors of HIV
Cazu
Cazu
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Cazu, a long-term #HIV survivor from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, contracted the virus when he was 16. To break the stigma surrounding HIV, Cazu has gone public about his status and shared his story with others. Photographs and story by Cazu.
Living with HIV, I have achieved many things that I never thought possible—public recognition, great roles both in the cinema and in the theatre—all since I became HIV-positive. This has given me the strength to encourage more people with HIV to take the same stand: “I am HIV-positive and I won’t give up on my goals. If something is not working out, I can change it and find a way forward.” That is what I did.
What made me go public about AIDS was the need to break the stigma that people living with AIDS are ugly, that they are unproductive and that they must be isolated or treated like wretches.
People living with HIV will remain who they were before HIV, independent of it. Those who were good people will remain good people, and the same goes for those who weren’t.
Regardless of having HIV or not, people are still human beings. They still have feelings. They love, suffer, cry and laugh.
HIV didn’t fundamentally change my way of life.
Death left my subconscious and entered my conscious mind. But in no way can HIV get in the way of my life. In fact, I started living more after HIV. Because HIV can’t be stronger than life.
I lost my job during the COVID-19 pandemic and contracted the virus twice, but I was lucky that it did not get serious.
I have started my own micro-enterprise selling disposable cups, which has helped me survive. I am self-sufficient and will continue to live life positively and share my experiences and knowledge with others.
T a k e a c t i o n
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