When Sofia Kabashambo starts narrating her life story, you cannot fail to feel the pain she is passing through.
Kabashambo is one unlucky teen who faced the wrath of a shameless paedophile who raped and impregnated her. As if that was not enough, the sex predator also infected her with the deadly HIV/AIDS.
Born in Kinuuka village, Lyantonde district to the late John Samuel Mushambo and Maria Josephine, Kabashambo at a tender age of 16, is already a mother of one. Her baby is one month old.
“My father died when I was one week old. My mother then married another man in Kyakakala, Lyantonde. She took me along with her to her new marriage. I studied up to primary four then my mother told me that she didn’t have school fees to further my education. My step dad also sent me away from his home saying that he was not related to me in anyway so he didn’t need me in his life,” Kabashambo recalls.
“At 13 years of age I got a job as a housemaid in Bukomansimbi. I worked for two years then returned to Lyantonde where I got another job of making and selling chapatis,” she adds.
While at her new job station, Kabashambo, then 15, says she was approached by a man she only identified as Ambrose who made sexual advances to her.
“Ambrose was a motorcycle mechanic in Lyantonde. He pestered me for love but I refused since I was still young. One day as I was returning home, I met him on the way and he offered to give me a lift on his motorcycle, which I accepted.
“He however stopped on our way, dragged me to a nearby bush and raped me. Weeks later, I discovered that I was pregnant. When I told him he denied responsibility,” teary Kabashambo recounts.
Confused and stuck on what to do next, Kabashambo decided to go to Kampala where she got another job as a housemaid.
Unfortunately, a few weeks at her new job, Kabashambo’s bosses realized that something fishy was going on in her life.
After thorough interrogation, she decided to narrate her ordeal to them. Surprisingly, they offered to look after her and her pregnancy.
Finding out that I’m HIV/AIDS positive:
Kabashambo says she found out that she was HIV/AIDS positive on the day one of her bosses Mrs Monalisa Tahabwasi took her for antenatal care at Entebbe Grade B Hospital.
“At first I felt so bad but doctors and my bosses counseled me and assured me that I was to give birth to a healthy and HIV free baby,” she says.
“The good thing my bosses accepted to stay and take good care of me and my baby.”
Through her bosses, there came another good Samaritan, Mr Dennis Byaruhanga who stays in Canada who has also been giving her financial and moral support.
Mr Byaruhanga is the founder and one of the directors of Hagaruka Mtoto, a Non-profit Organization that takes care of vulnerable children.
“When I gave birth, Mr Byaruhanga promised to take good care of my child and he has not disappointed.”
Mr Byaruhanga speaks out:
Mr Byaruhanga says he got to know about Kabashambo’s plight through his relatives.
“I realised that this child needed help. Since the baby has no father, I decided to take him as mine. I have been offering a helping hand eversince the baby was born,”he asserted.
What doctors say:
Dr. Anthony Kkonde, the Mukono Municipality Principal Medical Officer, says Kabashambo can have a healthy life if she accepts to live positively by properly taking her medication as prescribed by health practitioners.
“Having HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence. I advise Kabashambo not to worry, let her feed well, exercise and take her medication well. She will have a good life,”Dr Kkonde said.
“We also call upon police to hunt down and arrest that heartless man who raped, impregnated and infected this young girl with HIV. He should face the law,” Dr Kkonde further urged.
Scovia Birungi, the Lyantonde District Police Commander advised Kabashambo’s guardians to open a case at a nearby police station and she will use the case reference to arrest Ambrose so that he is brought to book.
The legal punishment for a person who rapes/defiles and infects an underage with HIV/AIDS is life imprisonment.
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