North taxi driver fights stigma against HIV
Thabiso Seema is often a guest speaker at awareness drives on HIV and created an NPO to educate HIV-positive people in his community.
A local taxi driver and activist from The Orchards, in the north of Pretoria, has been making an impact in fighting the stigma and discrimination against HIV in his community.
Thabiso Seema (37) was born at Cyferskuil in the North West and completed high school in 2005 at Mahaba Abet Centre in Makapane.
Soon after high school, Seema went to college to study for a diploma in traffic and policing.
He said in 2009 he moved to Pretoria in hopes of better opportunities and more resources.
“Throughout the years, I worked hard to make ends meet, and then in 2014, I became a taxi driver in Pretoria CBD just so that I could make a living,” he said.
Seema tested positive for HIV on January 28, 2020.
He said finding out that he was infected left him feeling helpless and afraid for the future because he thought his life would change.
He struggled to accept his status in the beginning because people often assume that the virus affects certain individuals in the community.
“The support I received from my close friends and family really helped me get through that period in my life,” he said.
He said his family reassured him that he is still the same person he was before and that his livelihood will not change if he takes his medication.
“With time, I refused to let the diagnosis define me and decided to take action so that others living with the virus don’t have to suffer,” he said.
Seema said when he went to the clinic for the first time to fetch his medication, he was concerned that he was the only man in the queue.
“I asked myself where all the men were. It was worrying to see that only ladies are on treatment and men are in denial,” he said.
He explained that fear, misinformation, and stigma surrounding the virus in communities made it hard for people living with the virus to find support and receive proper care.
He said it leads to many individuals being isolated, shunned, and even shamed for their status.
Seema started organising HIV awareness drives in October 2021 to educate young people in schools and community centres about the importance of HIV testing, prevention, and treatment.
He also established his own non-profit organisation called Seema Community Development (SCD), to educate, care for, and support HIV-positive people in his community.
He said his NPO also assists families living in poverty by donating necessary items such as sanitary pads and food.
“I have an online support group where I provide a safe and judgement-free space for people living with the virus,” he said.
He said it provides a platform for them to share their experiences and find emotional support from others who have been in similar situations.
Seema said he was involved in multiple outreach programmes around Pretoria in 2023.
“I was busy from the beginning of the year, and towards the end of the year, I was invited as a guest speaker at Menlyn for World Aids Day on December 1, 2023,” he said.
“The following day, I hosted another HIV awareness event in Pretoria North,” he added.
Seema said this year he plans to continue hosting awareness drives and doing visits to different schools around the area.
He said some of his other plans for the year include starting a podcast that will focus on different topics, from gender-based violence and rape to HIV and cancer awareness.
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